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SONGS FROM 
DIXIE LAND 



SONGS FROM 


DIXIE LAND 


t 


BY ^ 


FRANK L. STANTON 


ILLUSTRATED BY 


W. H. GALLAWAY 



INDIANAPOLIS 

THE BOWEN-MKRRILL COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS 



So 037 
AUG 16 mo \^0^ 

Copynght entry 




Copyright, 1900 

by 

The Bo weu -Merrill Company 



^\\\% 



Braun worth, Munn & Barber. 

Printers and Binders, 

Brooklyn, N. Y. 



TO 

CLARK HOWELL 

OF GEORGIA 



74118 



CONTENTS 

An Old-Time Singer ^ 

An Unfortunate Brother 29 

At Bay ^^5 

At the Meetin* ^7 

Away With the Dreams 233 

^Backsliding Brother, The ^ 

Ballad of Letitia, A 203 

Banjo Song 40 

Before the Gates 205 

Best o' Fellers ^3° 

Bill's Courtship 59 

Billville Divide, The 92 

Billville Spirit Meeting, The 99 

Boys Are There, The 102 

Br'er Williams ^3 

Call of the Angels, The 73 

Captain's Coat of Gray, The 81 

Christmas Conversion, A 3 

Christmas Times in Bill 112 

Comrades ^^ 

Cremation of Jenks, The ^4 

•Crost the Hills to Georgy 7^ 

Dead Singer, The 227 

Dear Old Tunes, The 229 

De Bumbshell 3^ 

U xi n 



CONTENTS 

De Li'r Chillun 19 

Fallen of the Fight, The 225 

Fellow Who Had Done His Best 156 

Got Ter Fight It Out 48 

Green World, The 141 

Halleluia Fellow, A 172 

Hazy, Daisy Weather, The 170 

He Sleepin* So 37 

He Whistled 121 

His Fall From Grace 50 

His First School Days - 35 

His Sweetheart . 126 

Homely Philosopher, A 161 

Hopeful Brother, A 145 

Idle Fellow, An 179 

If Love Be Thine 207 

In Harvest Days 214 

In the Night 231 

In the Red Deeps of May 187 

In the Union 135 

It's Morning 150 

Jest to Be Happy 134 

Jim's Best Man 64 

'^Keep a-Goin' 163 

Lad With the Little Tin Horn, The 152 

Lazy Citizen, A 34 

Lesson of Fire, A 32 

Let the Dream Pass 208 

Letitia's Likeness 196 

Li'l* Feller wid His Mammy's Eyes 16 

*Long About the Christmas Time 143 



CONTENTS 

Marcelle 193 

Marcelle's Lovers 185 

Mister Rabbit's Gentility 11 

Mister Rabbit's Love Affair 44 

Mister Winter's Message 18 

Molly an' Me an' the Snow 124 

My or Man 87 

My Shakespeare 215 

Necklace of Love, A 189 

No Good Ter de Country 23 

None For Him 174 

Old Books, The 223 

Old Deacon's Version, The 25 

Old-Fashioned Gentleman, An 221 

Old Hymns, The 128 

On Dress Parade 30 

On the Shelf 71 

One of the Faithful 46 

One of the Unreconstructed 115 

Over the Green Hills 210 

Peace'bul Fambly Man, A 54 

Picture Bible, The 132 

Poor Unfortunate, A 177 

Portrait, The 211 

Preacher and the 'Possum, The 42 

Problems 41 

Ring and the Rose, The 190 

Rural Comedy, A ']6 

Settin' By the Fire 168 

'Side a Cabin Fire 175 

Snow Prophet, The J17 
xiii 



CONTENTS 



Song in Springtime, A 


194 


Song of Mister Satan, A 


38 


Song of Trust, A 


154 


Spring Day in Winter, A 


98 


Sweet Command, The 


183 


Sweetes' LiT Feller 


21 


Sweetheart He Loved Long Ago, The 


62 


Sweetheart of a Soldier, The 


217 


Usual Way, The 


167 


Village Doctor, The 


88 


What the Fire Said 


146 


When a Feller Has the Blues 


165 


When Bells Ring Home to Rest 


53 


When Sally Played the Banjo 


no 


When the Lights Go Out 


198 


When You and Me Wuz Boys 


119 


Wind o' the Night, The 


200 


Winter 


123 


Winter*s Comin* 


162 


With Johnson's Band 


105 


With the Colored Regiment Band 


7 



XIV 



PLANTATION SONGS 



THE BACKSLIDING BROTHER 

I tell 'im plain 
Dat my hopes is vain, 
En I drinked my dram fer ter ease my pain ! 

Den de screech owl screech f'um de north ter 

south : 
"You drinked yo' dram, en you smacked yo' 
mouth I 

En you gwine de way 
Whar' de brimstone stay, 
En Satan gwine ter roas' you at de Jedgmint 
Day!" 



A CHRISTMAS CONVERSION 

?nnWUZ gittin' long 'fo' Chris'mus, w'en de 

X holly hangin' red 
En you feels it in yo' j'ints dat de fros' is on de 

^hed; 
Wen de angels is onravelin' er de snowflakes in 

de night 
En de worl' wrop up 'twell mawnin' in a freezin' 

sheet er white. 

Des li'P while 'fo' Chris'mus, w'en de squerril 

projick roun' 
En de rabbit say, ''Look out dar!" ez de ripe 

nuts hit de groun' ; 
Wen dey has de candy-pullin', en de apple 

cider's sweet, 
En de music in de fiddle mek' de fidget in yo' 

feet; 

3 



A CHRISTMAS CONVERSION 

Dat de passon gone ter preachin' ez he never 

preach befo', 
Dat dancin' wuz onlawful, en we musn't dance no 

mo' ! 
De scripter wuz ergin it, en de chu'ch had lay it 

down 
You couldn't git ter glory whilst you swingin' 

gals eroun'. 

Now, we done had 'lowed, betwix' us, dar wuz 

dancin' gwine ter be, 
Ef we had ter miss de preachin' en de missionary 

tree ; 
En so, w'en come de Chris'mus en de snow wuz 

on de groun' 
De passon come en kotched us des a-swingin' 

gals eroun' ! 

He kotched de deacons at it ; de stewards wuz in 

line; 
De cabin' flo' wuz creakin' en de fiddles des 

a-gwine ! 

4 



A CHRISTMAS CONVERSION 

'Twuz wuss dan halleluia en glory in yo' Soul — 
'Twuz "Swing dem corners, people!" en "Let 
de music roll!" 

Dar never wuz sich music ez dey mek' dem fid- 
dies play: 

De passon hollered : "Stop it!" but de fiddlers 
sawed away! 

De sisters bouncin' in de dance-^de deacons fer 
'em reachin', 

Dey hollered at de passon dar, "Dis sho' does 
beat yo' preachin' !" 

Den it come ter pass de passon fergit his Chris'- 

mus tex' : 
He jerk his coat en holler: "Please God, I com- 

in' nex'!" 
En he jump ez quick ez lightnin' in de middle er 

his for. 
En de way he swing dem sisters wuz a caution ter 

behor ! 

5 



A CHRISTMAS CONVERSION 

You never see sich cuttin' up all up en down de 

hall: 
De passon led de deacons roun', outdancin' er 

'em all ! 
En he say, w'en it wuz over, whilst a-carryin' off 

de prize : 
"Gwine home ter read my titles cFar ter mansions 

in de skies!" 



WITH THE COLORED REGIMENT BAND 



HE wuz down heah hoein' de cotton in de Ian' 
whar' he raise en bo'n, 
En all he knowed wuz de ol' home road, 'twell de 

war-talk hit come on ; 
Den he stop de mule in de furrer, en take his gun 

in his han' ; 
He des can't stay! so he march away wid de Cul- 
lud Regiment Ban' ! 

*'Look at 'im ! " (Dat what his mammy say.) 

"Hep ter de right, en hep! 
He black ez coal, — Lawd bless yo' soul! — 

But he step lak' a white man step! " 



WITH THE COLORED REGIMENT BAND 
II 

We lock up de house en de chillun ; we lef ' de 

crap in de grass ; 
We stir roun' some, we'n we heah de drum, fer 

ter see 'im marchin' pas' ! 
He dress in blue lak' a sojer true, en de cap'n say, 

• — good Ian' ! — 
'•He de bes' one yit — ef his cloze don't fit— dat 

march ter de Regiment Ban' ! " 

"Look at 'im!" (Dat what his mammy say.) 

"Hep ter de right, en hep ! 
I glad he bo'n 'fo' de war come on, 

Kaze he step lak' a white man step! " 



ni 



Ter think dat he raise en bo'n heah, en never 

been I'arnt in school — 
Dat all he knowed wuz de ol' home road en de 

ways er de Georgy mule ; 
8 



WITH THE COLORED REGIMENT BAND 

En den ter jine de army, en shoulder his gun — 

good Ian' ! 
We wuz proud dat day w'en he march away wid 

de Cullud Regiment Ban' ! 



"Look at 'im! " (Dat what his mammy say.) 

''Hep ter de right, en hep! 
He my own son, wid his guv'ment gun, 

En he step lak' a white man step! " 



IV 



En we gone ter de train ter see 'im off; en we 

heah de news er de fight — 
How de Spaniels say, ez he blaze away, dat de 

bullets wuz flyin' right! 
How dey shot one arm f um his shoulder, but he 

fou't wid de yuther han' ! — 
De boy we raise in de freedom days, dat march 

ter de Regiment Ban'. 



WITH THE COLORED REGIMENT BAND 

"Look at 'im!" (Dat what his mammy say.) 

"Hep ter de right, en hep! 
Mill' what I say: he'll step some day 

Ez proud ez a white man step!" 

V 

En de cap'n say w'en dey sont 'im home — in de 

letter what he write, — 
"His face wuz black ez de chimbly-back, but de 

heart what he had wuz white!" 
En ter think dat he fight fer his country so — de 

boy dat we raise — good Ian' ! 
En we bless de day w'en he march away wid de 

Cullud Regiment Ban'. 

"Look at 'im!" (Dat what his mammy say.) 

"He done wid de hep en hep ; 
I shouts fer joy fer my sojer-boy, ' 

Kaze he step lak' a white man step!" 



lO 



M' 



MISTER RABBIT'S GENTILITY 

ISTER Rabbit is a gentleman — he skip er- 

long his way, 
He takin' of it easy w'en I stackin' up de hay; 
He see me in de cotton fieP f 'um summer up ter 

fall, 
En pass me by, en wink his eye, en never wuck 

at all ! 

Mr. Rabbit is a gentleman — he livin' mighty fine, 
He never pullin' fodder whar' de white man got 

me gwine ; 
He hidin' in de brier patch en takin' of his ease, 
He stir roun' w'en he want ter, en lay down w'en 

he please, 

n 



MISTER RABBIT S GENTILITY 

'^O Mister — Mister Rabbit, I wish you he'p me 

out; 
You all time on a picnic or a-projickin' erbout ! 
Ef you he'p me hoe de cotton I'll pay you in de 

fall;" 
He pass me by, en wink his eye, en never wuck 

at all! 



12 



BR'ER WILLIAMS 

BR'ER WILLIAMS sich a sinner 
He tu'n de preacher pale ; 
He never b'lieve dat story 
'Bout Jonah en de whale. 

He tu'n aside f'um people 

Dat wear Salwation robe ; 
He got he doubts 'bout Joshua, 

En draw de line at Job. 

He say dis worl' de bes' one 

He ever hope ter win ; 
He never been ter meetin' 

Sence freedom time come in. 

But once he had a wision : 

He got ter heaven's gate 
Des 'bout de time er sundown, 

En fifteen minutes late. 

13 



BR ER WILLIAMS 

Den Mister Gabriel tell 'im: 
"Br'er Williams, go yo' way: 

Des take de elewator 

Ter whar' de devil stay!" 



En, bless yo' soul ! Nex' Sunday 
What did de people see ? 

Br' er Williams — settin' in de pew 
Ez solemn ez could be ! 



But now, de trouble comin' ! 

A yearthquake hit de wall- 
De shingles went ter shakin', 

En down de steeple fall! 



De preacher, he wuz trimblin' 
En scart clean out his shoes; 

De pulpit went ter playin' 
At leapfrog wid de pews ! 



// 



ran "^ 




Br'eR WILLIAMS 

Ontell at las' de preacher 
Got strength enough ter say : 
^'De Lawd above have mercy! — 
Dar's a Jonah heah terday!" 



En den dey grabbed Br'er Williams, 

Ontell he fit en fou't, — 
Went rockin' vv^id 'im ter de do' 

En pitch Br'er Williams out ! 



En 'bout de las' w^uz seen er him 
He gwine erlong de w^ay 

Ter hunt de elew^ator 
Ter whar' de devil stay! 



15 



LFL' FELLER WID HIS MAMMY'S EYES 

ALL dat I got on de whole plantation, 
All dat I love in de whole creation — 
In de roun', green worl', or de big blue skies, 
Is a fat li'r feller wid his mammy's eyes — 
Li'l' feller wid his mammy's eyes! 

He play in de san', en he roll in de clover. 
He watch fer me w'en de day wuck over; 
He look so cunnin', en he look so wise, — 
Dat fat li'l' feller wid his mammy's eyes — 
Li'l' feller wid his mammy's eyes ! 

Fur ways off he kin see en know me. 
En I h'ist 'im up on de mule befo' me; 
En I rides 'im home, en his mammy 'sprise 
At dat fat li'P feller wid his mammy's eyes — 
Li'l' feller wid his mammy's eyes! 
i6 



LI*L* FELLEU WID UlS MAMMY* S EYES 

He got sich ways en tricks erbout 'im, 
I knows dat I can't git 'long widout 'im ; 
En I thanks de Lawd, in de big blue skies, 
Fer dat fat li'l' feller wid his mammy's eyes- 
Li'l' feller wid his mammy's eyes. 



17 



MISTER WINTER'S MESSAGE 

DE Winter sen' a message : 
"Miss Springtime, is you home? 
I 'bleege terwait outside yo' gate: 

I wants some honeycomb!" 
En den Miss Springtime up en say: 
"You blowed my honey-bees away!" 

De Winter sorter study 

Ter fin' some winnin' word : 
"I 'bout ter freeze! I wish you please 

Tu'n loose a mockin'bird!" 
En den Miss Springtime say: "You knows 
My mockin'birds is all done froze!" 

De Winter stan' dar, quollin', — 

He cut up roun' de place ; 
He 'low he'll sen' a blizzard den, 

Ter slap Miss Springtime face ! 
Miss Springtime say: "Ontell you go, 
Dat face er mine I'll never show!" 
i8 



DE LI'L' CHILLUN 

DE li'P chillun — dey so coP, — 
I hates ter see 'em shiver, 
De night-win' freezin' ter dey soul, 

En des a roof f er kiver ! 
Dey cry fer fire night en day; 
En I — I dunno what ter say ! 

Dey kneel down whar' de col' win' creep, 

Whilst I a-settin' nigh 'em ; 
"Dis night I lays me down ter sleep,'' 

En ax de Lawd stay by 'em ; — 
Des in de sweet ol' way — lak' dat. 
(He dunno whar' dey livin' at I) 

Dey comes a-cuddlin' ter my bre's' 

Fer comfort — one en all. 
I tries ter sing 'em ter dey res'. 

But feels de hot tears fall. 
Po' li'r lambs! nowhar's ter go, — 
I sorry — sorry fer 'em so ! 

^9 



DE LI^l' CHILLUN 

En yit, I knows de good Lawd say, 
Once — w'en dey grief He see, — 

What time de chillun los' dey way, 
••'Go tell 'em come ter Me!" 

I wish who said dem words, lak' dat, 

Knowed whar' dese chillun livin' at ! 



20 



SWEETES' LI'L' FELLER 

SWEETES' IVr feller— 
Everybody knows ; 
Dunno what ter call 'im, 
But he mighty lak' a rose ! 

Lookin' at his mammy 
Wid eyes so shiny-blue, 

Mek' you think dat heaven 
Is comin' clost ter you ! 

Wen he's dar a-sleepin' 

In his li'r place, 
Think I see de angels 

Lookin' thoo' de lace. 

21 



Wen de dark is fallin' — 
Wen de shadders creep, 

Den dey comes on tip-toe 
Ter Idss 'im in his sleep. 

Sweetes' li'l' feller— 

Everybody knows ; 
Dunno what ter call 'im, 

But he mighty lak' a rose ! 



22 



*'NO GOOD TER DE COUNTRY" 

DEY tells me I don't 'mount ter nuttin'. I 
knows dat I gray en I ol', 
En somehow my j'ints is techous^ en shake w'en 

de win' blowin' col'. 
''In de way!" so dey say — so dey tells me: dey 

alius a-treatin' me bad : 
"I des ain't no good ter de country!" . . But 
I done give it all dat I had ! 

Seven sons 

Wid guv^ mint gunSy 

Gone whar* de bugles blow; 

En some still fightM de battles^ 

En some whar^ de wiV grass growl 

Dey gone ter de war 'gin de Spaniels — what time 

dey wuz takin'-on so; 
My prop en my stay, dey went marchin' away, en 

'twuz me dat fust tol' 'em ter go ! 
23 



"no good ter de country" 

My oP eyes wuz rainy dat mawnin' ; but de heart 

what wuz in me wuz glad : 
I des ain't no good ter de country, but I done give 
it all dat I had ! 
Seven sons 
Wid guv^ mint guns ^ 
Go7ze whar" de bugles blow; 
En some still JightM de battles^ 
En some whar* de wiV grass grow ! 

Some day de wars'll be over, en de boys'll come 

home f 'um de fight ; 
En I reckon dey'll say w'en dey marchin' dis way: 
"De ol' man done lef us 'Good-night!' " 
But I hopes — sence dey fit fer de ol' flag — dey'll 

think er me den en be glad : 
Who wuzn't no good ter de country, but give it 
des all dat he had ! 
Seven sons 
Widguv^ mint gunSy 
Gone whar* de bugles blow; 
En some still fightin^ de battles ^ 
En some whar* de wiV grass grow! 
H 



THE OLD DEACON'S VERSION 

OF THE STORY OF THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS 



I 



STOSE yo' know de story, O my brotherin', 

er de man 
Dat wuz rich ez cream, en livin' on de fatness er 

de Ian' ? 
How he sot dar eatin' 'possum, en when Laz'rus 

ax fer some, 
He tell 'im: "Git erway, dar! fer you'll never 

git a crumb ! ' ' 

De rich man wuz a-feastin' f'um his chiny plate 

en cup, 
Kaze he 'fraid his po' relations come en eat his 

wittles up ; 
I spec' he had two 'possums on de table long en 

wide. 
En a jimmyjohn er cane juice wuz a-settin' by his 

side, 

25 



THE OLD DEACON S VERSION 

En he say: ''Dis heah des suits me, en I gwine 

ter eat my fill ; 
But I'll sic de dogs on Laz'rus, ef he waitin' roun' 

heah still." 
En de dogs commence dey barkin', raise a racket 

high en low, 
En when Laz'rus see 'em comin' he decide 'twuz 

time ter go. 

So, he limp off on his crutches, en de rich man 

think it's fun. 
But I reckon Laz'rus answer: "I'll git even wid 

you, son!" 
De rich man so enjoy hisse'f he laugh hisse'f ter 

bed. 
En, brotherin', when he wake up he wuz stiff, 

stone dead ! 

En den he raise a racket, en he holler out: '^What 

dis? 
De place is onfamiliar, en I wonder whar' I is?" 

26 



THE OLD deacon's VERSION 

Den Satan, he mek answer: "I'm de man ter tell 

you dat: 
You's in de fire department er de place I livin' 

at!" 

Den de rich man say: "Whar' Laz'rus dat wuz 

beggin' at my gate?" 
En Satan tell him: "Yander, wid a silver spoon 

en plate ; 
En he eatin' fit ter kill hisse'f ! He spendin' er 

de day 
Wid good ol' Mister Abra'm, but he mighty fur 

away ! ' ' 

*'Will you please, suh," say de rich man, "ax 

him bring a drink ter me, 
Wid a li'l' ice ter cool it? Kaze I hot ez hot kin 

be!" 
But Satan fall ter laughin', whilst he stir de fire 

roun' : — 
"De ice would melt, my brother, 'fo' it ever hit 

de groun' !" 

27 



THE OLD DEACON S VERSION 

Den he fill a cup wid brimstone — fill it steamin' 

ter de top ; * 

But de rich man say he swear off, dat he never 

tech a drop ! 
But Satan grab his pitchfork whilst de rich man 

give a squall, 
En in 'bout a half a second he had swallered cup 

en all ! 

Now, dat's erbout de story er de rich man at de 

feas% 
What wouldn't pass de 'possum roun' when Laz'- 

ruz want a piece. 
De 'possum means yo' pocketbook, de moral's 

plain ez day: 
Shake de dollars in de basket 'fo' you go de rich 

man's way! 



28 



AN UNFORTUNATE BROTHER 

IDES so weak en sinful, 
Or else, so oP en po', 
Dat Mister Chris'mus done fergit 
De number on my do' ! 

I tell 'im: *'Heah I is, suh! 

You been dis way befo'." 
But Mister Chris'mus done fergit 

De number on my do' ! 

I see 'im fin' de rich folks 
Dat des don't want no mo' ! 

But — good Lawd knows, he done fergit 
De number on my do' ! 

I wonders, en I wonders 

Des why he slight me so! 
I hopes de Lawd'U show 'im 

De number on my do' ! 
39 



ON DRESS PARADE 

DE Lily dress up all in white, 
De Vi'let primp in blue, 
De Rose put on a gown er red 
En say: *'I sweet ez you!" 

En den dey had a picnic — 

De weather look so fine ; 
But de blizzard blow de sleet en snow, 

En de sun fergit ter shine! 

De Lily shake en shiver — 

De Rose say: "How is you?" 

En de Vi'let — he make answer: 
"I feelin' powerful blue!" 

En still de blizzard blowin', — 

Des toss 'em lef en right, 
En dey went ter bed en kivered 

Wid a freezin' sheet er white ! 

30 



DE BUMBSHELL 

DE bumbshell, he go sizzin' 'long- 
Shoo, chillun — shoo! 
En dis yer is he only song: 
''Whar' — ^whar' is you?" 

Shoo, chillun — shoo! 

He huntin' atter you ! 
''Whar' is you 
En yo' fambly, too?" 

Shoo, chillun — shoo! 

De bumbshell, he go sizzin' 'long- 
Shoo, chillun — shoo! 

En night en day he sing dat way: 
"Whar' — whar' is you?" 

Shoo, chillun — shoo! 

He huntin' atter you ! 
"Whar' is you 
En yo' fambly, too?" 

Shoo, chillun — shoo! 
31 



A LESSON OF FIRE 

EF 'Lijah gone ter glory in a cheery oot er fire 
Don't you t'ink dat he wuz sco'chin' on 
de way? 
Don't you t'ink dat all his cloze 
Bu'n clean off him, ter his toes, 

En he headed f er de water right away ? 

Oh, believers. 

What you gwine ter do 
Ef fire sco'ch you on de way, 

En w'en you git dar, too ! 

Wen de rich man wuz a-eatin' er his 'possum 
en his pie 
En Latherus wuz hongry at de do', 
Did he t'ink he gwine ter die 
Fo' de sun rise in de sky. 

En roas' up in fire down below? 
32 



A LESSON OF FIRE 

Oh, believers, 

What you gwine ter do 
Wen de fire roas' de 'possum 

En de howlin' sinner, too ! 



33 



A LAZY CITIZEN 

01 DES so lazy dat I dunno what ter do ! 
I see de Sun a-ridin' in a purty ben' er blue, 
En he say: "I never idle on de river bank, lak' 

you!" 
But I des so lazy dat I dunno what ter do ! 

I des so lazy dat I dunno what ter do ! 

De yaller fly light on me, en I never tell him 

''Shoo!" 
En de bee a huntin' honey in de daisies en de dew, 
But I des so lazy dat I dunno what ter do I 

1 des so lazy dat I dunno what ter do ! 

De River quollin' at me, en de Jaybird jawin', too ; 
Dey 'low: ''You des so triflin' dat de grass ketch 

up wid you!" 
But I des so lazy dat I dunno what ter do ! 

34 



HIS FIRST SCHOOL DAYS 

HE sich a li'l' feller, 
But he min' de teacher rule, 
En take his books en toddle 
On his li'r feet, ter school. 

His mammy stan' en watch 'im — 

So mannish, gwine by! 
She hidin' wid her apern 

De teardrap in her eye ! 

De fus' time dat she ever 
Done miss his play en song; 

'Tain't no ways ter de schoolhouse, 
En yit de road look long! 

He gwine in de worl', now, 
But what's de prize ter win 

Ef dat sweet, li'P feller 

Don't come back home ag'in? 

35 



HIS FIRST SCHOOL DAYS 

He sich a liT feller,— 
He larnin' fine to-day! 

But still his mammy miss 'im, 
Kaze dat his mammy way ! 



36 



HE SLEEPIN* SO 

HE never tired — him dat sleep 
Whar' col' de graveyaM shadders 
creep ; 
He never feel de winter snow, 
Or heah de wolf howl at his do'. 
He never toss, dar, on his bed, 
Hongry fer des one crust er bread ! 
He safe f 'um all de storms dat blow. 
He sleepin' so — he sleepin' so! 

He done fergit, de whole worl' roun'. 
How rich man hoi' de po' man down. 
How dat he feel de lash en load 
En fall down, trimblin', on de road! 
He dunno dat he got de bes' 
He ever had, in res' — sweet res' ! 
He safe f'um all de storms dat blow. 
He sleepin' so — he sleepin' so! 

37 



A SONG OF MISTER SATAN 

SATAN never come 
Wid a bangin' er de drum, 
Wid de blowin' er de bugle-ho'n ; 
He des lay low, 
En he creep up slow, 
En he leave no track — 
Lak' a rabbit in de snow ; 
But he got you, sho' ez you bo'n! 

He up en 'way 

At de breakin' er de day, 
'Fo* de lark done light in de co'n; 

En he lif ' his hat 

Whar' de sinner at. 

En he projick roun' 

'Twell he lay 'im flat. 
En he got you, sho' ez you bo'n! 

38 



A SONG OF MISTER SATAN 

O, sinner, come 'long 

Ter de gospel song, — 
Don't wait fer de bugle-ho'n; 

Fer Satan lay low, 

En he creep up slow, 

En he leave no track — 

Lak' a rabbit in de snow; 
But he got you, sho' ez you bo'n! 



39 



BANJO SONG 

HOP light, ladies, — ben' yo' head ; 
'Possum-pie en ginger bread ! 
Rabbit run f 'um de white man gun ; 
Moccasin quoil up in de sun, 
Blacksnake give a supper hot, 
Lizard stew in a b'ilin' pot; 
Kingsnake come ter de banquet hall, 
Swaller blacksnake — soup, en all! 



40 



PROBLEMS 

DEY took en treed de 'possum 
Des 'bout de break er day ; 
De tree fall on de hunter, 
En de 'possum he git 'way ! 

De rabbit gone ter meetin' — 
Dey b'iled him, en dey fried; 

De blacksnake bite de preacher, 
En den de blacksnake died ! 

Dey sont de missionary 

Ter whar' de heathen stay ; 

Dey chopped him inter mincemeat 
En eat him up dat day! 

It's trouble, trouble, trouble, — 

I dunno what ter say ; 
Fer when you runs de rabbit 

He goes de yuther way ! 

41 



THE PREACHER AND THE 'POSSUM 

WE had a Opossum supper — 
De preacher come ter see ; 
But dey wa'n't a bit er 'possum 
Fer de chillun, or fer me! 

Fer de preacher ax a blessin' 

En pass his plate en cup, 
En des in 'bout a minute 

He eat de 'possum up ! 

He say: "I likes de gravy, 

I likes de 'taters, too; 
It takes a whole, fat 'possum 

To pull de preacher th'oo' !" 

He ax des one mo' blessin'. 
Den pile his plate en cup ; 

En scoop in all de dressin', — 
Des eat de 'possum up ! 
42 



THE PREACHER AND THE ' POSSUM 

En den he climb de pulpit, 
En fer de tex' he reach ; 

But couldn't say a single word, 
Kaze he too full ter preach ! 

At las' he up en tol' 'em: 
"Dis weather mos' too coF ; 

I gwine home, believers, 
En res' my suff'rin' soul!" 



43 



MISTER RABBIT'S LOVE AFFAIR 



ONE day w'en Mister Rabbit wuz a-settin' in 
de grass 
He see Miss Mary comin', en he wouldn't let her 

pass, 
Kaze he know she lookin' purty in de river look- 
in'glass, 
O Mister Rabbit, in de mawnin^ ! 



But de Mockin'bird wuz singin' in de blossom en 

de dew, 
En he know 'bout Mister Rabbit, en he watchin' 

er 'im, too; 
En Miss Mary heah his music, en she tell 'im 
''Howdy-do!" 
O Mister Rabbit, in de mawnin' ! 
44 



MISTER rabbit's LOVE AFFAIR 

Mister Rabbit 'low he beat 'im, en he say he'll 

Tarn ter sing, 
En he tried it all de winter, en he kep' it up in 

spring ; 
But he wuzn't buiF fer singin', kaze he lack de 

voice en wing, — 
Goodby, Mister Rabbit, in de mawnin' ! 



45 



D 



ONE OF THE FAITHFUL 



EY talkin' on de scripters en a-changin' 'em 

erbout, 

En takin' all de sweetness er de or-time Bible out ; 
Dey preachin' en dey teachin' in de stranges' sorter 

way, 
But I raise up in de Bible en Iholdin' dar terday! 



I heahs 'em in de pulpits des a-mixin' up de tex' — 

A-tellin' folks 'bout dis worP en de doin's er de 
nex' ; 

Dey don't believe in Jonah, en Joshua's laid away ; 

But de Bible interdooced 'em, en I holdin' dar ter- 
day! 

I turns de ol'-time pages, en ever'whar' I see 
De promises like rainbows in de storm dat's over 
me; 

46 



ONE OF THE FAITHFUL 

I pass th'oo' fiery trials en cross de rivers wide, 
En reach de pleasant pastur's on de shinin' other 

side. 
In de valley er de shadder it's sweet ez sweet kin 

be— 
A rod en staff ter comfort en a lamp dat shines 

f er me ; 
Afr'en' dat's still onfailin' — de trues' ende bes' — 
A light dat's in de winder when we gwine home 

ter res'. 

Dat's why I holdin' ter it ; I read its meanin' plain ; 
It sen' me all my sunshine en de Lawd is in de 

rain; 
Dey's teachin' en dey's preachin' in ever' sorter 

way, 
But I raise up in de Bible en I holdin' dar terday ! 



47 



w 



GOT TER FIGHT IT OUT 

^'EN de Lawd is good ter people en He 
rain de blessin's down, 
Dat's de time dey feel dey fodder, en go struttin' 

all eroun' ; 
Fergit ter go ter meetin', whar' de mo'ners pray 

en shout — 
Dey gits so fat en sassy dat day got ter fight it 
out ! 

Dey goes eroun' a-blowin' f'um de springtime ter 

defall; 
Dey looks down on de country, en dey reaches fer 

it all; 
De worP ain't what dey wants it, en de Bible is 

in doubt, — 

Dey des so fat en sassy dat dey 'bleege ter fight 

it out! 

48 



GOT TER FIGHT IT OUT 

De birds don't sing ter please 'em — de fiddle los' 

its chune ; 
Dey wants de seven stars, suh, en a big slice er 

de moon ; 
Dey breshin' 'gin each yuther in de country roun' 

erbout, — 
Dey des so fat en sassy dat dey 'bleege ter fight 

it out ! 

En de Lawd — He don't say nuttin' — He des le'm 

go erlong 
'Twell trouble come en ketch 'em, en dey fin' out 

dey wuz wrong ; 
Den dey comes inter de meetin', en dey wants ter 

pray en shout, — 
Dey des so po' en humble, dey too weak ter fight 

it out ! 



49 



B' 



HIS FALL FROM GRACE 

^R'ER WILLIAMS wuz a-sayin% in de pub- 
lic meetin'-place, 

He counted it a privilege ter fall away f 'um grace ; 

Fer though de fall wuz heavy w'en you lef de 
shinin' track, 

Dar wuz lots er joy, believers, in de comin' — com- 
in' back! 

*'You knows," he says, **de los' sheep, what miss- 
in' f'um de for 

W'en de night wuz dark en rainy, en de win' a- 
blowin' col' ? 

Well, de Shepa'd lef de yuthers, en he never sat- 
isfy 

'Twell he ketch up wid de los' sheep, en he Ian' 
'im high en dry!" 

50 



HIS FALL FROM GRACE 

Now, dat wuz his contendin', en he talk it right 
erlong, 

'Twell de yuther oP backsliders raise a halleluia 
song! 

But de preacher sorter study, ez he lookin' cross 
de hall, 

'Bout de many times Br'er Williams had been bav- 
in' er a fall ! 



'*You fall," he say, "on Monday — des take de 
road wid sin ; — 

En den, on Tuesday mawnin', please God, you 
down erg' in ! 

Now, don't you call dat triflin'? Wen Wednes- 
day roll eroun', 

Des 'bout de time you git up, once mo' you hits 
de groun' ! 

"You in de fallin' business; you never gwine ter 

rise 
En read yo' shinin' titles ter mansions in de skies! 

51 



HIS FALL FROM GRACE 

Fer w'en yo' climbs de ladder what reach de jas- 
per wall, 

You'll heah ol' Satan holler: 'I'll ketch you w'en 
you fall!'" 

Br'er Williams riz in meetin' en tell 'im: ''Dat'll 

do! 
I lef de fallin' business — I gwine 'long wid you! 
En now, I gwine ter tell you, ef any grace fer me, 
I gwine ter keep on risin' so high yo' des can't 

see!" 



52 



WHEN BELLS RING HOME TO REST 

SO WIN' time en reap in', 
Doin' er de bes' ; 
Dar'll be time fer sleepin' 

W'en de bells ring home ter res' ! 

See de shadders creepin' 

Over f'um de wes' ; 
Time '11 come fer sleepin' 

W'en de bells ring home ter res'. 

Troubles come contrary — 

Yit, de Lawd'll bless, 
W'en you feelin' weary 

De bells '11 ring ter res'. 



53 



A PEACE 'BUL FAMBLY MAN 

OH, de sun shine hot in ever' spot 
En de young co'n wavin' green; 
En de cotton needin' choppin' 
Des de wuss you ever seen ! 
En I ain't got time fer fightin', 

Kaze de grass '11 take de Ian' ; 
En de plow^ en hoe is all I know — 
I a peace'bul fambly man! 

Go 'long wid dat musket! 

I buil' on a diff'unt plan; 
De craps mus' grow, 
En de whole worl' know 

I a peace'bul fambly man ! 

Oh, de sun shine hot in ever' spot 

En de hot san' bu'n yo' feet ; 
En de Co'n, he say: "Please plow dis way, 

Kaze I pa'ch up wid de heat!" 

54 



A PEACE' BUL FAMBLY MAN 

En I ain't got time fer fightin', 
Kaze de grass '11 make a stan' ; 

En de plow en hoe is all I know,- 
I a peace'bul fambly man! 

Go 'long wid dat musket! 

I bull' on a diff 'unt plan ; 
De craps mus' grow, 
En de whole worl' know 

I a peace'bul fambly man! 



?5 



JUST FROM GEORGIA 



57 



BILL'S COURTSHIP 



BILL looked happy as could be 
One bright mornin' ; an' says he : 
"Folks has been a-tellin' me 
Mollie's set her cap my way; 
An' I'm goin' thar' to-day 
With the license; so, ol' boy, 
Might's well shake, an' wish me joy! 
Never seen a woman yit 
This here feller couldn't git!" 

II 

Now, it happened, that same day, 
I'd been lookin' Mollie's way; — 
Jest had saddled my ol' boss 
To go canterin' across 

59 



BILL S COURTSHIP 

Parson Jones's pastur', an' 
Ax her fer her heart an' han' ! 
So, when Bill had had his say 
An' done set his weddin' day, 
I lit out an' rid that way. 

Ill 

Mollie met me at the door: — 
''Glad to see yer face once more!" 
She — says she: "Come in — come in!" 
("It's the best man now will win," 
Thinks I to myself.) Then she 
Brung a rocker out fer me 
On the cool piazza wide, 
With her own chair right 'longside ! 

IV 

In about two hours I knowed 
In that race I had the road ! 
Talked in sich a winnin' way 
Got her whar' she named the day, 
60 



BILL S COURTSHIP 



With her shiny head at rest 
On my speckled Sunday vest ! 
An', whilst in that happy state, 
Bill — he rid up to the gate. 



Well, sir-ee ! . . . He sot him down- 
Cheapest lookin' chap in town ! 
(Knowed at once I'd set my traps!) 
Talked 'bout weather, an' the craps. 
An' a thousan' things ; an' then — 
Jest the lonesomest o' men — 
Said he had so fur to ride. 
Reckoned it wuz time to slide! 



VI 



But I hollered out: ''Ol' boy. 
Might's well shake, an' wish me joy! 
I hain't seen the woman yit 
That this feller couldn't git!" 
6i 



THE SWEETHEART HE LOVED LONG 
AGO 



M' 



O L L Y is fixin' to marry — Jenny is livin' 
away, 
An' the boys hain't been back at the ol' home 

in many an' many a day. 
An' somehow the spring's lost its sweetness, an' 

lonesome an' long falls the snow, 
An' nothin' is left but the pictur' o' the sweet- 
heart I loved long ago. 

I never was one fer complainin' — ^but somethin' 
seems lost from life's skies. 

An' alius in sunshine it's rainin' — it's rainin' eroun' 
my ol' eyes! 

Fer herd's whar' their arms was eroun' me — an' 
here's whar' she smiled on me so. 

An' all that is left is the pictur' o' the sweet- 
heart I loved long ago. 
63 



THE SWEETHEART HE LOVED LONG AGO 

The medder still feels the lark's shadder, an' fre- 
quent I hear the birds sing, 

Jest as ef nothin' had happened to all the red 
roses o' spring! 

Jest as they sung at her weddin'. But how kin 
the singin' birds know 

That nothin' is left but the pictur' o' the sweet- 
heart I loved long ago? 

Nothin' ? Thar's Molly a-comin' an' bringin' a 

rose to me. — Well, 
Life's story's tol' over an' over, till nothin' is new 

that we tell. 
Her arms roun' my neck, an' her blue eyes in 

tears at my takin' on so; 
Kiss me, dear — fer you're jest like the pictur' of 

the sweetheart I loved long ago! 



63 



JIM'S BEST MAN 

? r^ORE Jim got married he says — says he: 

1 *'I wants you to stan' up, oP chap, with me 
As one o' the groomsmen; an' Sally — she 
Is one o' the bridesmaids that'll be." 
"All right," I says, an' I fixed up fine 
An' stood with Jim in the marriage line. 

Now Sally — as any one could see — 

Fer 'bout a year had been lovin' me, 

An' I'd been married 'fore Jim, ef they 

Hadn't been nothin' in the way. 

But though Jim liked me, he says, says he, 

I wam't fer Sally, ner she fer me! 

I thought it wuz kinder mean o' Jim — 
That so much happiness come to him — 
That the cup of his joy wuz full — complete, 
An' he grudged me all that made life sweet! 

64 



J1M*S BEST MAN 

That, havin' a heart he could call his own, 
He could see me travelin' on alone! 

Well, the night o' the marriage thar' Sal stood — 

The rosiest bit o' womanhood 

That ever slipped out o' the red retreat 

Of a garden whar' ever^ flower is sweet! 

I looked at Sally — she looked at me; 

Thinks I: ''7w^ weddin's is what should h^V 

Jim wuz a-shakin' like anything — 

Tripped on the carpet, an' drapped the ring; 

But finally said, fer peace er strife 

He'd take Mirandy along through life. 

An' Mirandy — purty nigh skeered as him. 

Said, on them conditions she'd take Jim. 

Clost to Sally I'd took my stan' : 

All of a sudden I grabbed her han% 

Whilst the people wondered at what would be, — 

Sayin' : ''Sally, jest say them words to me I 

5 65 



JIM S BEST MAN 

Thar's the license — all good an' straight, 
All made out fer the married state!" 

Jim wuz speechless — 'twuz better so, 

Kaze he couldn't object io the thing, you know! 

An' whilst he stood in the speechless way 

An' hadn't a single word to say, 

Sal tol' the parson to go ahead, 

An' I answered his words 'fore the words wuz said ! 

When Jim recovered — got back to life — 
Sally wuz jest as much my wife 
As Mirandy his! . . . An' he says, says he: 
"That's a purty trick that you played on me! 
But take her, with all that the Lord kin sen'!" 
(That warn't no use, kaze I had her then!) 



(^e 



AT THE MEETIN' 

THE meetin'-house wuz crowded, but atter 
lookin' 'roun' 
I foun' a seat by Mollie, an' thar' I settled down. 
'Twuz jest the place I wanted— the dearest in the 

worl' — 
The roses on her red cheeks a-kissin' curl on curl ! 

The ribbons like a rainbow runnin' roun' her 

purty throat — 
Fer lookin' at an' lovin' her I couldn't sing a 

note! 
Text wuz, "Love one another" — it suited well 

my case, 
An' brought the tell-tale blushes to Mollie's smil- 

in' face! 

67 



AT THE MEETIN' 

'Twuz jest the finest sermon I'd heard fer many a 
day; 

It lit the skies with promise an' smoothed the 
rocky way ; 

An' that smile o' Mollie's made me jest the hap- 
piest o' men: 

She looked so like a angel that I got religion then ! 



68 



AN OLD-TIME SINGER 

1 DON'T want any hymnbook when the Metho- 
dists is nigh, 
A-linin' out the ol' ones that went thrillin' to the 

sky 
In the oV campmeetin' seasons, when *twuz 

*'Glory hallelu!'' 
An' "Brother, rise an' tell us what the Lord has 
done fer you!" 

Fer I know them songs so perfect that when I git 

the swing 
O' the tune they want to go to I kin shet my eyes 

an' sing! 
''On Jordan's stormy banks," an' ol' ''Amazin' 

Grace" — they seem 
So nat'ral, I'm like someone that's singin' in a 

dream ! 

Oh, when it comes to them ol' songs I alius does 

my part; 
An' I've got the oF-time Bible down, as you 

might say, ''by heart!" 

69 



AN OLD-TIME SINGER 

When the preacher says the fust word in the giv- 

in' of his text 
I smile with satisfaction, kaze I know what's com- 

in' next! 

The wife says: "That's amazin' ! " an' the preacher 

says — says he, 
With lots o' meanin' in his voice, an' lookin' 

queer at me — 
"Sence you know more o' the Bible than the best 

o' us kin teach, 
Don't you think you orter practice what you're 

payin' us to preach?'* 

Well, that gits me in a corner — an' I sorter raise 

my eyes 
An' the tune about them titles to the "mansions 

in the skies" ! 
I want the benediction then — I'm ready to depart! 
But when it comes to singin' — well, I've got the 

hymns by heart ! 

70 



*'ON THE SHELF" 

HE gits roun' now on jest one peg 
To beat the very Ian' ! 
Thank God, he's only got one leg — 

They won't take my ol' man. 
(He lost that leg in our last war, 
But I could never tell what fer!) 

I sets an' sees him hobblin' roun' — 
They's sojers passin' through, 

An' "Dixie's" wakin' up the town; 
An' "Yankee Doodle," too. 

I hears him holler: "Hip, hooray!" 

(Thank God, they can't take him away!) 

He seen his fightin' days ; he went 

With Jackson an' with Lee ; 
An' now he's come to be content 

To set roun' home with me. 

71 



" ON THE SHELF " 

He's lost one leg. That's gone fer shore — 
(Thank God, he'll never lose no more!) 

But when the ban' plays "Dixie" — My! 

It sets him wild ag'in ! 
He cheers the boys a-trompin' by, 

An' want's to j'ine in! 
But I— I says: "Come, that'll do! 
They don't want one-leg folks like you." 

So let 'em fight from left to right 

All over sea an' Ian' ; 
I thank the Lord by day an' night 

They won't take my ol' man! 
He's lost one leg. That's gone fer shore — ■ 
(Thank God, he'll never lose no more!) 



72 



THE CALL OF THE ANGELS 



LYIN' thar', patient, from day to day — 
Wearin' his poor little life away, 
But never complainin', an' when she cried — 
His mother, settin' thar' at his side, 
Layin' his han' in hers — so kin'. 
An' tellin' her: "Mother, never min' !" 
Though he knowed well, an' w^e wuz shore 
Death wuz waitin' outside the door! 
''I'd like to stay whar' my own folks be, 
But I hear the angels callin' me!" 
(Poor litter feller! so pale an' slim— 
What did the angels want with him ?) 

/ 

II 

Lyin' thar', patient, from night to night. 
An' she like a ghost in the lonesome light — ' 

73 



THE CALL OF THE ANGELS 

His mother — holdin' his han' as though 
Not even f er Death would she let him go ! 
An' hearin' the win', so soft an' sweet, 
An' sayin': "It's the fall o' the angels' feet! 
I'd like to stay whar' my own folks be, 
But they're alius callin' — callin' me!" 
An' still with his eyes on her face, so kin', 
An' whisperin': "Mother, never min' !" 
(Poor litter feller! so pale an' slim — 
What did the angels want with him?) 



Ill 

Lyin' thar' sleepin', from day to day. 
Under the green leaves, an' under the gray — 
It's long sence the angels took him away! 
An' the mother kneels in the dark to pray, 
An' she says, when the nights air long an' chill. 
She feels his han' in her own han' still ! 
But she knows it wuz God's an' the angels' will. 
But as fer me, from day to day, 
An' night to night, I hear him say 

74 



THE CALL OF THE ANGELS 

(Fer all the comfort they bring to me) : 
'I'd like to stay whar' my own folks be!" 
(Poor litter feller! so pale an' slim — 
What did the angels want with him?) 



75 



A RURAL COMEDY 

THINGS is never goin' right, 
(Life is so contrary!) 
Thought I'd go that winter night 
An' speak the word to Mary. 

Never seen her look so sweet, 

(Jest like any fairy ! ) 
Kitten purrin' at her feet, — 

Me, six yards from Mary! 

Top her that 'twuz like to snow — • 
All the weather showed it ; 

Looked as ef we'd have a blow. 
Simply said: "She knoived it!" 

76 



A RURAL COMEDY 

Talked o' this, an' talked o' that 

Till my tongue got weary ; 
Made remarks erbout the cat, 

But still kep' fur from Mary ! 

or clock ticked an' ticked away, 
(Wished her heart 'twould soften!) 

Couldn't find the word to say, 
Though I tried it often. 

Time to go, an' leave them charms, — 

Sence I couldn't win 'em! 
Yawned, an' sorter stretched my arms. 

An' — praise God! — she fell in 'em! 

Don't these women know a sight? 

Ain't they all contrary ? 
Didn't say the word that night, 

An' yit, I'll marry Mary! 



11 



'CROST THE HILLS TO GEORGY 

^^^i^^ROST the hills to Georgy"— we wuz 

V— >. fur away, 
An' the land aroun' wuz lonesome, an' all the 

skies wuz gray ; 
But alius she wuz singin', beneath the hopeless 

sky: 
'« 'Crost the hills to Georgy — we'll git thar' by an' 

by!'' 

" 'Crost the hills to Georgy"— we'd left the folks 

so long, 
The tears would come a-fallin' with the music o' 

the song! 
But alius she wuz singin', with teardraps in her 

eye: 

" 'Crost the hills to Georgy — we'll git thar' by an' 

by!" 

78 



CROST THE HILLS TO GEORGY 

'"Crost the hills to Georgy" — an' many a heart 

would beat: — 
It brought to min' the valleys — the medders green 

an' sweet. 
We heard the birds a-singin' beneath the clear, 

blue sky: 
" 'Crost the hills to Georgy — we'll git thar' by an' 

by!" 

" 'Crost the hills to Georgy," from many a lone- 
some shore ; 

^' 'Crost the hills to Georgy" — we're goin' home 
once more ! 

An' still her sweet voice singin', an' hearts a-beat- 
in' high: 

" 'Crost the hills to Georgy — we'll git thar' by an' 
by!" 

We saw the wild flowers bloomin' — we saw the 

daisies foam ; 
We heard the bells a-ringin' the songs o' love an' 

home. 

79 



^CROST THE HILLS fO GEORGV 

But a woman's voice still cheered us, beneath the 

stormy sky: 
" 'Crost the hills to Georgy — we'll git thar' by an' 

by!" 

An' we reached the plains an' valleys we loved in 

days of old, 
An' our friends come out to meet us, an' stories 

sweet wuz told, 
Of them that had been waitin' with the teardrap 

in the eye: 
" 'Crost the hills to Georgy" — we got thar' by an' 

by! 



80 



THE CAPTAIN'S COAT OF GRAY 



O' 



^L' Confed'rit buttons, sleeves with braid o' 

gold, 
An' here an' thar' a bullet mark the story of it 

told ; 
An' they stopped before the winder an' blocked 

the busy way 
To see a simple thing like that — the captain's 

coat o' gray ! 

The vet'ran who h^d fought with Lee, an' faced 
the fight that day 

When the thunder rolled the loudest roun' '' Stone- 
wall " Jackson's way, 

With his empty sleeve breshed back the tear — the 
tear that wouldn't stay — 

To see that ol' coat hangin' thar' — the captain's 

coat o' gray. 
6 8i 



THE captain's COAT OF GRAY 

or times come rushin' over him — he heard the 

war drums then, — 
The shoutin' o' the captains an' the rallyin' o' the 

men ; 
An' mebbe saw the droopin' flags o'er green 

graves fur away, — 
A surgin' flood o' mem'ries in the captain's coat 

o' gray. 

An' a woman stopped, an' bowed her head an' 

sighed — an' mebbe she 
Wuz thinkin' o' the loved ones lost beneath the 

flag with Lee ; 
Then some one whistled '* Dixie," an' the crowd 

broke out : ' ' Hooray ! 
An' three cheers fer the captain, an' the captain's 

coat o' gray! " 

An' they give 'em! They went ringin' from that 

rainy street, on high; — 

'Peared like they shook the winders in the ever- 

lastin' sky! 

82 



THE CAPTAIN S COAT OF GRAY 

You talk erbout ''war sperrit " — they had it thar' 

that day, 
Caused by that unknown captain, who wore that 

coat o' gray! 

That crowd wuz patriotic! You heard the war- 
heart beat, 

An' the feller whistlin' " Dixie " wuz the hero o' 
the street! 

An' not a man that heard him, but made the rainy 
way 

Ring with three cheers fer ''Dixie" an' the cap- 
tain's coat o' gray! 

or Confed'rit buttons — sleeves with braid o' 

gold, 
An' here an' thar' a bullet mark the story of it 

told ; 
The story of the glory that wuz shinin' thar' that 

day. 
Over a simple thing like that — the captain's coat 

o' gray! 

83 



J 



THE CREMATION OF JINKS 
(and what came of it) 

INKS favored of cremation, an' give directions 

plain, 
That w^hen he left this vale o' tears, to jine the 

heavenly train, — 
When they heard the angels call him acrost ol' 

Jordan's foam, 
They'd burn his body to a crisp and take the ashes 

home. 

His good wife up an' tol' him thar' warn't no wood 

to spar' 
An' that ef he'd jest wait awhile they'd burn him 

over thar' ! 
But he left his plain instructions ; an' so, the day 

he died 

We burnt his body 'fore he reached the blazin' 

"other side." 

84 



THE CREMATION OF JINKS 

An' ever' day his wife would set, with teardraps 
on her lashes, 

An' moan, an' groan, an' sigh, an' fret — beholdin' 
of his ashes, 

Till she took another comforter — as most o' wid- 
ders do, 

An' had six cooks a-makin' o' the weddin' barbe- 
cue. 



An' that's whar' come the trouble! . . . The 
cooks run short o' spice 

An' pepper, an' sich seasonin', that make a din- 
ner nice; 

An', findin' Jinks's ashes, hid in a corner dim. 

They took him fer black pepper, an' spiced the 
meats with him ! 



The widder foun' it out too late ; but nothin' could 
she do : 

The guests declar'd they'd never eat a finer bar- 
becue ! 

85 



THE CREMATION OF JINKS 

An' the widder kep' the secret, an' long her sor- 
row nursed 

Fer that second husband's weddin' feast, they sea- 
soned with the first ! 



86 



MY OL' MAN 

MY oP man — he can't go to sea; 
He ain't no sailor, an' he'll never be; 
His place is home with the boys an' me, 
Fer to light the fire in the mornin' ! 

An' he jest can't march with that leg of his, 
Kaze it's all stove up with the rheumatiz, 
An' his place is here, whar' the homestead is, 
Fer to light the fire in the mornin' ! 

They's lots 'sides him fer to go an' fight, 
Fer he's fond o' peace an' his pipe at night. 
An' he don't do well when he's out my sight, 
So he'll light the fire in the mornin' ! 



^1 



J' 



THE VILLAGE DOCTOR 

[EST had one doctor in the town — the country's 
joy an' pride, 
Who 'tended of us up an' down — a-goin' fur an' 

wdde 
From settlement to settlement, acrost the fiel's an' 

hills; 
A fustrate han' at measles, an' a graduate on chills. 

But it come to pass one mornin' when the sun 
come up the skies 

An' the sleepy worl' wuz risin' an' a-rubbin' of 
its eyes. 

To the country's consternation an' its terrible sur- 
prise 

The doctor read his titles cl'ar to mansions in the 
skies ! 

Jest went the way o' all flesh — wuz laid upon the 

shelf ; 

He who'd saved folks from dyin' whirled in an' 

died himself! 

88 



THE VILLAGE DOCTOR 

We done our best to save him — jest agonized in 

prayer, 
But we couldn't git no doctor to prescribe the bill 

o' fare. 

An' so, the doctor went away to j'ine th'^ heavenly 

throng ; 
He couldn't take the medicine he'd mixed fer us 

so long; 
An' then there come more measles — more earth- 

quake-rackin' chills 
Than ever had been hearn of in the valleys or the 

hills! 

Then we 'p'inted a committee to search the coun- 
try roun'. 

Till another fust-class doctor fer the settlement 
wuz foun'. 

An' they tromped from Brown to Billville — a-goin' 
day an' night. 

An' pitched their tents fer business when the doc- 
tors hove in sight. 

89 



THE VILLAGE DOCTOR 

They advertised fer doctors, an' brotherin', here 

they come, 
Like a regiment a-risin' to the wil' tap o' the 

drum ! 
Thar> wuz fifteen hundred of 'em, all ready with 

their bills, 
Fustrate ban's at measles, an' graduates on 

chills. 

The committee looked 'em over an' questioned 

'em a bit; 
But most of 'em v^uz ol' an' gray, an' didn't 'pear 

to fit. 
Or fill the bill we wanted ; they come in, score by 

score — 
Enough to kill a regiment, an' then look roun' fer 

more! 

But the sense o' the committee — also the chair- 
man's view — 

Wuz, what the country wanted wuz a doctor that 
wuz new! 

90 



THE VILLAGE DOCTOR 

*' The ol' books," said the chairman, ^'the ol'- 

time doctors read, 
I'd like to state, air out o' date, an' them ain't 

what we need ! 



" We want a right young feller that's graduated 

( new. — 
i 
As fresh as any daisy in the sunshine an' the dew ; 

One with a big diploma, with a bran' new seal 

o' red. 
With all the new diseases playin' leapfrog in his 

head!" 



So they turned the ol'-time doctors down, an' got 
a young chap, — well. 

He knowed more new diseases than the diction- 
aries tell ! 

An' though we're poor an' humble the country 
roun' erbout. 

We kin have " appendicitis" now an' all the new 
things out ! 

91 



THE BILLVILLE DIVIDE 

IT'S the funniest thing, I reckon, that a feller 
ever heard, 
An' you're goin' to kinder doubt it an' look jubious, 

I'm af eared; 
But it's true as any preachin', an' it's jest as broad 

as wide. 
An' now I'm going to tell you 'bout the Billville 
town divide. 

You see, we've got a town here? That is, we 

kinder had, 
'Fore the lawyers hung their shingles an' jes' driv 

the people mad. 
But I ain't a-wranglin' with 'em ; it's the story I'm 

a-givin', 

Fer a town kin live with lawyers, but the lawyer s^-^ 

does the livin^ ! 

92 



THE BILLVILLE DIVIDE 

Fust off, we had a Baptis' church — it kinder got 

in debt, 
An' the sheriff's 'bout decided that it's six mile 

in it yit ! 
They got to fightin' 'bout the lot — each feller had 

his views; 
Then the lawyers got the pulpit, then the shingles, 

an' the pews. 

An' next we built a schoolhouse, an' had to run 

a bill ; 
Then the board o' eddication, they got mad enough 

to kill. 
An' went to law erbout it — can't tell the why er 

how^ 
But the lawyers got the schoolhouse, an' they're 

running of it now I 

An' next, here come the town hall — that's it jest 

'crost the way ; 
The council had to make a bond, an' then they 

couldn't pay; 

93 



THE BILLVILLE DIVIDE 

An' SO, they went to lawin' fer the cash they 
couldn't raise, 

An' the lawyers got the town hall, and the may- 
or's turned out to graze! 

An' next — here come the grocery store — the only 
one in town; 

The grocery man wuz honest, an' he marked his 
prices down 

An' smashed long 'fore he knowed it, fer his bills 
wuz fallin' due, 

An' the lawyers — well, they're kinder in the gro- 
cery business, too ! 

An' next we got a railroad, with a sign that made 

a show: 
'Twuz *'Look out fer the engine when you hear 

the whistle blow!" 
We wuz proud o' it as preachin' — put a flag up at 

the tanks, 
Fer our train wuz second cousin to the flyin' 

'*Nancy Hanks." 
94 



THE BILLVILLE DIVIDE 

But stockholders got to grumblin' , an' one drizzly, 

mizzly night 
The engine struck a feller an' jest knocked him 

out o' sight. 
An' then here come a lawsuit; the stock — it took 

a fall, 
An' the lawyers, bein' receivers^ received the road 

an' all! 

Now, you see, they got the meetin'-house, the 

schoolhouse, too, an' then 
The town hall went a squealin' like a shoat into 

their pen ; 
An' then, the village grocery store, an' last o' all, 

the road — 
An' the brass ban's blowin' fer 'em, jest the best 

it ever blowed ! 

So now, when they'd jest gobbled all, did they git 

in a fight, 
An' go to law, an' fuss an' jaw, an' cuss from left 

to right? 

95 



THE BILLVILLE DIVIDE 

Not much! Why, brotherin', lawyers is the lov- 

in'est o' folks — 
They're full o' life an' laughter; make you split 

yer sides with jokes. 

No !— the lawyers give a dinner^ an' they jest in- 
vited down 

What little o' the town wuz left to represent the 
town; 

An' when they'd all got seated, a feller on one side 

Riz up an' said: ''We're here tonight to have the 
great divide." 

Then they shared the shinin' proceeds o' the 
meetin'-house, the hall. 

The grocery store, the school-house, an' the rail- 
road tanks an' all ; 

An' when they'd done the sharin', an' 'twuz gittin' 
time to go, 

They sung ''Old Hundred," an' praised God from 
whom all blessin's flow! 

96 



THE BILLVILLE DIVIDE 

Now, this here is the story, an' the moral I'm 
a-givin' 

Is, a town kin live with lawyers, but— the lawyers 
does the livin'. 

We use to have a town here that was jest the coun- 
try's pride. 

But now, it's known to people as "The Billville 
Big Divide"! 



97 



A SPRING DAY IN WINTER 

WARN'T a cloud in all the skies— 
Not any wintry warnin' ; 
Sun riz up an' rubbed his eyes 

An' 'peared to say "Good-mornin' ! 
Jest bring yer roses to my sight 
An' I'll jest kiss 'em red an' white !'^ 

The river went a-crawlin' 'long, 

So drowsy an' so lazy ! 
A mockin'bird broke out in song, 

A dewdrap foun' a daisy. 
An' nigh the water lilies swishin' 
A feller sorter dreamed o' fishin' ! 

'Peared like the worl' wuz drowned in light, 

An' in the blue above you 
You saw yer sweetheart's eyes so bright, 

An' heard her say, "I love you!" 
'Twuz spring in winter — flower an' song. 
Sunshine an' love the whole day long! 

98 



*'- 



THE BILLVILLE SPIRIT MEETING 



w 



^E had a sperrit meetin' (we'll never have 
no more!) 
To call up all the sperrits of them that's ''gone 

before." 
A feller called a "medium" (he w^uz of medium 

size), 
Took the contract fer the fetchin' o' them sperrits 
from the skies. 

The mayor — the town council — the parson an' his 

wife, 
Come to shake han's with them sperrits what had 

left the other life ; 
The Colonel an' the Major — the coroner, an' all 
Wuz waitin' an' debatin' in the darkness o' the 

hall. 

99 



C1/4 



THE BILLVILLE SPIRIT MEETING 

The medium roared, ''Silence! Amanda Jones 

appears ! 
Is her husband present?" ("No, sir — he's been 

restin' twenty years ! " ) 
"Here's the ghost of Sally Spilkins, from the Ian' 

whar' glories glow: 
Would her husband like to see her?" (An' a 

feeble voice said, "iV^/") 

"Here's the wife of Colonel Buster; she wears a 

heavenly smile : 
She wants to see the Colonel, an' she's comin' 

down the aisle!" 
Then all wuz wild confusion — it warn' t a bit o' 

fun !— 
With "Lord, have mercy on me," the Colonel 

broke an' run! 

Then the coroner got skeery an' scampered fer 

his life ! 
"Stop — stop him!" said the medium; "here 

comes his second wife!" 

lOO 





%3' 



n 










THE BILLVILLE SPIRIT MEETING 

But thar' warn't a man could stop him in that 

whole blame settlement, — 
He turned a double summersault an' out the 

winder went! 

Then, the whole town council follered an' hollered 

all the way ; 
The parson said he had a call 'bout ten miles off, 

to pray! 
He didn't preach nex' Sunday, an' they tell it 

roun' a bit, 
Accordin' to the best reports the parson's runnin' 

yit! 



lOI 



I 



THE BOYS ARE THERE 



KEEP a-readin' the papers, for the mother she 

says, says she: 
''I reckon they'll have some news to-day of the 

fightin' over the sea. 
I wish that the war was ended!" That is her 

daily prayer. 
(She made a flag for the regiment, and she knows 

that the boys are there!) 



I 'mind me how that mornin' when we heard the 

bugles blow 
An' the bright brigades were formin', she told the 

boys to go ! 
How they left their farewell kisses on her lips an' 

silver hair. 
An' marched away for the flag that day. . . . 

She knows that the boys are there I 

I02 



THE BOYS ARE THERE 

For many a message has come to her 'crost the 

ocean's foamy track: 
"The flag still waves o'er the regiment — we're 

beatin' the rebels back!" 
An' ''Love an' life to you, mother, 'neath the 

home skies sweet an' fair." 
Oh, her heart's at sea with her country, for she 

knows that the boys are there. 

But when, in the evenin' shadows, the wail o' the 

wind she hears. 
She looks afar where the broad seas are, through 

a silent rain of tears ; 
An' I say — I say: "They'll be home some day; 

there'll be a step on the stair. 
An' brave, strong arms around you of the boys 

who are fightin' there!" 

An' that is her sweetest comfort, an' her tears 

they cease to flow; 

"Oh, I 'mind me — oh, I 'mind me how I told the 

boys to go ! " 

103 



THE BOYS ARE THERE 



"Yes, an' you made a flag for them! — the flag of 

your country fair — " 
With her head on my breast she whispers: "I'm 

glad ihdit the boys are there!" 



104 



WITH JOHNSON'S BAND 

"1 1[ 7"HEN Johnson's band wuz playing, how 
Y V music thrilled the land ; 

The Chattahoochee stayed its tide that day for 
Johnson's Band! 

The birds in greening branches were mute on 
every hand, — 

They heard a wilder music that day, from John- 
son's Band! 

''Way Down in Old Kentucky" — such tunes as 

make you sigh ; 
And gentle ''Annie Laurie," and "Comin' Thro' 

the Rye;" 
And " Dixie " — " Yankee Doodle" — a fellow 

couldn't stand 
And keep his feet from shuffling that day, with 

Johnson's Band! 

105 



WITH JOHNSON S BAND 

The Major and the Colonel — they threw their 

coats aside ; 
The old town Marshal shouted: ''Here! make 

the circle wide!" 
The Major took the center — the Marshal gave 

command ; 
They danced a Georgia break-down that day to 

Johnson's Band! 

Then in came Deacon Jenkins, as lively as could 
be; 

He shouted to the Colonel: "Make room — make 
room for me!" 

Then, Brother Williams joined 'em — 'twas fun on 
every hand. 

To see those old chaps dancing that day, to John- 
son's Band! 

They danced all round the circle — 'twuz "Glory 

in yer soul!" 

And "Keep the fiddles going, and let the music 

roll! 

io6 



WITH JOHNSON S BAND 

This ain't no time for sighin' in this delighted 

land!" 
''Hooray!" the people shouted — "Hooray for 

Johnson's Band!" 

There never wuz such music, or such a merry day ; 

The Major and the Colonel danced every hour 
away ! 

And when the dance wuz over, you heard on 
every hand : 

"Three cheers for Mr. Johnson, and Mr. John- 
son's Band!" 



107 



COMRADES 

WAR ain't over — not a bit ! 
Every night 'at comes 
Bill and me {been thar', you see!) 

Jes' muster all the drums ! 
An' while the sparks air flyin', 
An' the fire — it cracks away; 
We fight an' fight from left to right— 
The Blue ag'in' the Gray. 

War ain't over — bet yer life ! 

Bill wuz Union ; so, 
Lights his pipe, an' then he's ripe 

Fer argyment, you know. 
Swears he whipped us, fust an' last, 

An' might be at it still; 
When ol' Bull Run jines in the fun, 

An' I git one on Bill ! 
io8 



COMRADES 

We talk an' talk, an' have oar say — 

Go over all the groun' ; 
An' Bill, he makes the w^ar his way, 

An' then jes' lays it down! 
But I keep close up on his trail, 

An' keep on firin' till 
He says, says he: "Can't git 'roun' meT' 

Then I git one on Bill ! 

But all so friendly! What's the use 

In bein' otherwise? 
Sence we've done turned the blame thing 
loose. 

The Lord's sent brighter skies! 
An' Bill an' me (been thar', you see!) 

Jes' argy kaze we will ; 
An' Bill gits one on me — all fun — 

An' I git one on Bill ! 



109 



WHEN SALLY PLAYED THE BANJO 



WHEN Sally played the banjo an' I danced 
— danced away, 
Thar' wuz not a happier feller in the settlement 

that day! 
Her cheeks, I know, wuz redder than the roses o' 

the spring. 
An' I danced the "double-sluiflfle," an' I cut the 
* *pigeon-wing" ! 



When Sally played the banjo, I kivered all the 

groun' ; 
She covild hardly play fer laughin' at the way I 

hopped eroun' ! 
I never did git tired, ner ever stopped fer breath, 
Till I heard the shingles shakin' an' danced the 

floor to death ! 

no 



WHEN SALLY PLAYED THE BANJO 

When Sally played the banjo — that time I can't 

fergit, 
Fer me an' her is married, an' she's playin' of it 

•yit! 
No matter how I'm feelin' now, I don't stan' any 

chance, 
Fer when Sally plays the banjo, please God, I've 

got to dance ! 



Ill 



r 



CHRISTMAS TIMES IN BILL 

^HAR' ain't no times like ol' times, boys, no 

matter what they say — 
No times that's ever goin' to come like them that's 

gone away; 
An' so, that takes me back ag'in to valley, plain 

an' hill. 
An' all the frosty fields we knowed, an' Christmas 

times in Bill ! 

Thar' warn't a single county — an' thar wuz lots, 

you know — 
Could show up finer 'taters, or a fuller cotton row ; 
An' as fer juicy Mountain Dew — it flowed from 

ever' still, 
An' thar' warn't no purtier women than the gals 

we sparked in Bill! 

113 



CHRISTMAS TIMES IN BILL 

Thar' ain't no times like ol' times, boys! I min' 

one Christmas night, 
When the court-house floor wuz sanded, an' the 

fiddles goin' right, 
How we whirled our rosy pardners in the liveliest 

kind o' way, 
An' kissed 'em in the corners, an' danced into the 

day! 

An' how thar' come six weddin's from that Christ- 
mas dance, an' how 

(I tell you, I kin feel it whar' my heart's a-beatin' 
now) 

I didn't mind the slippery snow that laid as white 
as foam. 

With my arms eroun' the widder on the high road, 
goin' home! 

An' how she said she never — never — never could 

fergit 

The husban' what had gone before — wuz moum- 

in' fer him yit! 
8 113 



CHRISTMAS TIMES IN BILL 

But when I toP her that I'd keep that grave o' his 

right green, 
She leaned ag'in my buzzom — havin' nowhar's 

else to lean. 



Thar' ain't no times like ol' times, boys, no matter 

what they say! 
Thar' ain't no Christmas times like them we 

knowed so fur away ; 
But Christmas takes me back ag'in to valley, plain 

an' hill- 
To the dancin' an' the widder that Christmas night 

in Bill! 



114 



ONE OF THE UNRECONSTRUCTED 

THIS talk about ''progress" jest floors me! 
they're puttin' up buildin's so high 
That they shet out the green o' the medders an' 

all the blue patches o' sky! 
You can't build a house in the country, whar' the 

daisies air dressed up in white, 
An' the sunflowers foller the sunset, an' 'pear to 

be sayin' "Good-night," 
But here comes a railroad a-roarin' ! an' the 

screech of a whistle! Oh, my! 
I'd ruther the woods an' the roses, an' the birds, 

an' blue patches o' sky! 

This talk about "progress" is tryin' to a feller 

that likes to be still 
Whar' the mountains jest keep on a-sayin' "We'll 

git up to heaven — we will!" 



One of THS UNRECONS'fRUCl'EB 

Whar' the rivers don't know any bridges, an' thar's 

never a rail on a clod, 
An' the birds, with gray breasts in the blossoms, 

air singin' the praises o' God! 

This talk about "progress ! " Good people, it may 

be we're goin' too fast! 
The buildin's air fine ; but, I tell you — ain't one 

thing on earth that'll last — 
'Cept love! an' the jingle o' money is crowdin' 

love out o' this life — 
No time fer the arms o' the children — no time fer 

the kiss o' the wife ! 

But it's all right, I reckon ! We're movin', as folks 
say, "from darkness to day," 

An' when the big cities come smokin', the woods 
must git out o' the way! 

But fer all the railroads a-roarin' — the trains that 
run over each clod — 

I'd ruther the sweet rivers singin', an' the moun- 
tains that climb close to God! 
ii6 



THE SNOW PROPHET 

ALLUS wuz predictin' snow 
To the people, high an' low; 
When the sun wuz shinin' bright — 
"Look out, folks, fer snow to-night! 
See it comin' — got my fears- 
Biggest snow we've had in years!'* 

But the night would come an' go — 
Not a single flake o' snow! 
An' next mornin', in the skies 
Same ol' cloudless sun would rise ! 
"Win'," he'd say, "warn't blowin' right; 
But I tell you, snow' s in sight V^ 

Well, he went on thataway — 
Prophesyin' night an' day — 
Alius missin', tell at last, 
Said "the time fer snow wuz past.'" 

117 



THE SNOW PROPHET 

Then it rained, an' hailed, an' snowed- 
Biggest that we ever knowed ! 

Projickin' next day erbout, 
Seen his ol' boots stickin' out 
Of a snowbank, deep an' wide ; 
An', ten minutes 'fore he died. 
Hollered out, a layin' low — 
''^DidnH I tell you we'd have snowP'^ 



ii8 



WHEN YOU AND ME WUZ BOYS 

THINGS — they wuzn't better 
When you an' me wuz boys ; 
World to-day is brighter — 
Brimmin' full o' joys ! 

Never beam the engines 

Makin' of a noise ; 
Never had no telephones 

When you an' me wuz boys. 

Never seen a street car 

Cuttin' up a shine, 
Harnessed to a broomstick 

An' skeetin' on a line ! 

Time when we wuz little 

An' anybody died 
Feller never knowed it 

Till they reached the other side ! 
119 



WHEN YOU AND ME WUZ BOYS 

Now you send a telegram 

Over sea an' groun', 
Feller gits an answer 

'Fore he turns aroun*. 

Ain't the world a-movinM 

Never seen the like ! 
Took an' I'arned the lightnin* 

Jest the place to strike ! 

Glad I lived to see it — 

Never want to die ; 
Doubtful ef the angels 

Kin beat it in the sky. 

But when my day is over, 
Bet I'll go a hummin' ! 

Telephone to glory 

An' tell 'em I'm a-comin' ! 



IZO 



HE WHISTLED 

WHEN craps wuz burnt to flinders, 
An' not a rain in sight, 
He opened all the winders 
An' whistled in the light — 
Jest whistled 
An' whistled, 
Like that 'ud make things bright. 

When mortgages wuz growin', 
Like weeds by day an' night, 
He kep' right on a-hoein' 
An' whistled in the light — 
Jest whistled 
An' whistled. 
Like that 'ud make things bright. 
J2I 



HE WHISTLED 

In sowin' time or reap in', 

In wrong as well as right, 

When shadders come a-creepin', 

He whistled fer the light — 

Jest whistled 

An' whistled, 

Like that 'ud make things bright. 

Somehow he'd hear bells ringin' 

Fer all the night an' day, 
An' still the birds kep' singin' 
When blue skies turned to gray. 
He whistled. 
Jest whistled. 
The rocky world awayo 



122 



WINTER 

WINTER, with its snow an' sleet, 
Makes the hearthside warm an' sweet, 
(Fact is, winter's hard to beat — 
Thank the Lord fer winter!) 

Wagon's rumblin' on the road, 
Horses neighin' with the load, 
(Finest time I ever knowed ! — 
Thank the Lord fer winter!) 

Sweethearts at the dance you'll meet, 
An' the old-time tale repeat, 
(Never saw her look so sweet — 
Thank the Lord fer winter ! ) 

Brethren, country beats the town 
When the winter nights come roun% 
(Hi ! there — take the fiddle down I 
Thank the Lord fer winter!) 
123 



MOLLY AN' ME AN' THE SNOW 

NEVER'LL fergit it as long as I live — 
Don't keer what blessin's I know ; 
The hills standin' white — 
Skeery ghosts o' the night — 

An' Molly an' me an' the snow! 

Never liked wintersome weather till then — 
Win' cuttin' keen high an' low ; 

Cuttin' an' cryin' — 

But bosses a-flyin' — 

An' Molly an' me an' the snow ! 

Took the ol' carriage right off of her wheels- 
Fixed her with runners, you know; 

Then lifted Moll in it— 

Wuz off in a minute ; 

An' 'twuz Molly an' me an' the snow! 
J 24 



MOLLY AN ME AN THE SNOW 

Had to set close to her; had to slip roun' 

My arm — fer pertection — ^jest so ! 
(Fu'st time I had tried it, 
With Molly inside it ! ) 

O 'twuz Molly an' me an' the snow ! 

An' course, with the roads all snowed over, you 
see. 

We didn't know jest whar' to go; 
So we called on the 'Squire, 
To warm at his fire — 

Molly an' me an' the snow ! 

An' he axed ef she'd have me; an' Molly«— oh, 
well. 

Spoke so amazin'ly low! 
But the question wuz carried ; 
In short we wuz married — 

Molly an' me an' — the snow! 



"5 



HIS SWEETHEART 

THE Jones boy gives her roses, an' takes her 
out to walk, 
An' then she tells me, when he's gone, jest all 

the Jones boy's talk! 
How he says his pop's got money in a great big 

bank of his ; — 
But I don't keer who she goes with — she's my 
sweetheart, she is! 



The Brown boy — he comes hangin' roun', an' 
takes her to a play. 

An' tells her, Does she love him? ever' minute 
of the way! 

But she wears the flowers I give her, an' never 
thinks of his: — 

I don't care who she goes with — she's my sweet- 
heart, she is! 

126 



HIS SWEETHEART 

Then the other boys, they wants to call, an' sit 
up with her some; 

But she says, "she's got engagements," an' sen's 
word to me to come! 

An' I whistle at the Jones boy, an' that great big 
bank of his, — 

I don't keer fer no money — fer she's my sweet- 
heart, she is! 

She's my sweetheart! No matter if the Jones boy 

owns the earth ; 
She knows that I'm a-lovin' her a million dollars 

worth ! 
She don't keer fer no roses — no house, or bank 

of his ; 
She's my sweetheart till death do part — she's my 

sweetheart, she is! 



127 



T 



THE OLD HYMNS 

HAR'S lots o' music in 'em — the hymns o' 

long ago, 
An' when some gray-haired brother sings the ones 

I use to know 
I sorter want to take a han' ! — I think o' days gone 

by: — 
'*On Jordan's stormy banks I stan' and cast a 

wishful eye!" 

Thar's lots o' music in 'em — those dear, sweet 

hymns o' ol', — 
With visions bright o' lan's o' light, an' shinin' 

streets o' gol' ; 
An' I hear 'em ringin' — singin', whar' Mem'ry, 

dreamin', stan's, 
''From Greenland's icy mountains to India's coral 

stran's." 

They seem to sing ferever of holier, sweeter days, 

When the lilies o' the love o' God bloomed white 

in all the ways ; 

128 



YHS OLD HYMNS 

An' I want to hear their music from the ol'-time 

meetin's rise 
Till *'I can read my title cl'ar to mansions in the 

skies.'* 

We never needed singin' books in them ol' days 

— we knew 
The words — the tunes of every one the dear ol' 

hymn-book through ! 
We didn't have no trumpets then — no organs built 

f er show : 
We only sang to praise the Lord "from whom all 

blessin's flow." 

An' so, I love the ol' hymns, an' when my time 
shall come — 

Before the light has left me, and my singin' lips 
air dumb, 

Ef I kin only hear 'em then, I'll pass without a 
sigh 

''To Canaan's fair an' happy Ian', whar' my pos- 
sessions lie!" 
9 129 



BEST O' FELLERS 

BEST o' fellers fur an' wide, 
Never knowed it till he died. 
Said all roun' the neighborhood 
He was nachully "no good," 
Till one day he closed his eyes 
To the worP an' to the skies. 
Last words that we heard him say: 
''I wuz alius in the way: 
Jest ain't wuth a tear or sigh: 
Tell 'em all good-by — good-by!" 

Best o' fellers, fur an' wide, 
Never knov^ied it till he died. 
Till poor souls aroun' him pressed 
An' laid roses on his breast; 
Till we heard beside him moan 
Folks he'd helped all unbeknown; 
130 



BEST O FELLERS 

Little childern roun' the place 
Cryin' — kissin' his white face! 
Best o' fellers, fur an' wide. 
Never knowed it till he died. 

Best o' fellers! . . . That's the way 

We're a-doin' day by day, — 

Findin' thorns in gardens sweet 

When the flowers air at our feet ! 

Alius stumblin' in the night 

When the mornin's jest in sight! 

Holdin' of our love until 

Hearts it might have helped air stilL 

Best o' fellers, fur an' wide. 

Never knowed it till he died. 



«3i 



D' 



THE PICTURE BIBLE 

^ON'T want no pictur' Bible; I've kinder got 

a doubt 
That them thar' pictur's sorter crowds the ol' time 

gospel out. 
It don't encourage my beliefs terfix it up like that, 
With yaller arks a-restin' on the top o' Ararat. 

An' Moses in a gown o' red — a reg'lar fancy 

"robe"; 
An' ever'thing a-lookin' blue in twenty mile o' Job ! 
An' Petre on a sea o' green 'longside a speckled 

boat, 
An' nuthin' left o' Joseph but the colors in his 

coat! 

They can't improve that Bible — I don't keer how 

they try, 

An' I doubt ef these new fixin's air approved of 

in the sky ! 

132 



THE PiCTlJRE BIBLE 

An* though they're mighty purty, an' sorter make 

a show, 
Ef the Lord had wanted pictures He'd made 'em 

long ago ! 

So, in spite o' all the talkin', I've sorter got a doubt 
That pictur's crowds the sweetness o' the ol' time 

gospel out ; 
They don't encourage my beliefs — wharever they 

may be — 
The plain ol' fam'ly Bible is good enough fer me! 



133 



JEST TO BE HAPPY 

^^ TEST to be happy!" You'd hear him say— 
vJ Alius a-talkin' it thataway: 

"Jest to be happy one day — one day!" 
An' the poor, sad feller, he never knowed 
When happiness met him on the road 
An' tried to help him, an' lift the load! 
Alius a-talkin' it thataway: 

''Jest to be happy one day — one day!" 

"Jest to be happy!" 'Twas still his song; 

An' happiness — knowin' the tune wuz wrong, 

Loafin' eroun' him all day long! 
"Jest to be happy!" he'd still repeat, 

With happiness makin' the whole worl' sweet 

There, in the violets at his feet! 

Alius a-talkin' it thataway: 
"Jest to be happy one day — one day I" 



134 



IN THE UNION 

(The Southern Veteran Speaks.) 

I'VE faced the fight with Jackson, I've marched 
along with Lee ; 
I had some words with Sherman as he galloped to 

the sea; 
Exchanged brisk compliments with Grant when 

victory seemed in view, 
My old steel bayonet glittering at many a breast 
in blue. 

I say, I've been with Jackson, and Lee — he knew 

my name ; 
And sometimes, when the fight was on, he called 

me by the same. 
I followed fierce and fearless where Longstreet led 

the way 
To fields whose bloody daisies were blent with blue 

and gray. 



IN THE UNION 

But now I'm in the Union ! I see there — overhead, 
The flag our fathers fought for ; her rippling rills 

of red 
All glorious and victorious — the splendor of her 

stars — 
And I say: "The blood of heroes dyed all her 

crimson bars." 



I'm for that flag forever 'gainst foes on sea and 
shore. 

Who shames her? Who defames her? Give me 
my gun once more ! 

We'll answer when they need us — when the war- 
fires light the night; 

There's a Lee still left to lead us to the glory of 
the fight! 

See how the old flag ripples, and flaunts her folds 

in scorn. 

Her stars and bars will be the joy of nations yet 

unborn ; 

136 



IN THE UNION 

And though she waves o'er new-made graves, 

'neath alien sod and dew, 
There, in the starry silences, the gray sleep with 

the blue. 

We're one in heart forever-^we're one in heart 

and hand ; 
The flag's a challenge to the sea, a garland to the 

land. 
We're united — one great country: Freedom's the 

watchword still; 
There's a Lee that's left to lead us-»— let the storm 

break where it will ! 



137 



SONGS OF GOOD CHEER 



139 



T 



THE GREEN WORLD 



HE green world — the green world! — there's 
never any snow! 

The roses never wither — the summers never go ! 

The birds are ever singing — the skies are ever 
blue, 

And the winds that bend the branches blow blos- 
soms over you ! 



The green world — the green world! — its loveli- 
ness and light — 

The sun that makes its morning — the stars that 
gild its night! 

There is no gloom — no darkness — no sorrows and 
no sighs, 

For the light of love is shining in the rain around 

the eyes. 

141 



THE GREEN WORLD 

The green world — the green world! — how dear 
its every clod! — 

Its lilies are like altars where the wild winds wor- 
ship God! 

Its roses hide the thorn-spears — its storms with 
rainbows fall ; 

There is light and love unending and love is over 
all! 



142 



'LO^G ABOUT THE CHRISTMAS TIME 

DOES me good, when work is done, 
An' I face the settin' sun, 
Makin' of my homeward way 
In the winter twilight gray, 
Jest to think that where the light 
Of my fireplace cheers the night. 
Little children watch an' wait 
Fer the latch-clink o' the gate — 
'Specially when sweet bells chime, 
'Long about the Christmas time ! 

They're so good 'fore Christmas comes 
(Thinkin' o' them horns an' drums) 
Feared the angels — ef they see — 
Coax 'em all away from me ! 
Almost gits me feelin' sad: — 
Ruther have 'em spiced with bad ; — 

H3 



*LONG ABOUT THE CHRISTMAS TIME 

Tumblin', rumblin' down the stairs, 
Goin' to bed without their prayers! 
But they're cunnin', — heard the chime 
Of the bells o' Christmas time ! 

Good Lord bless 'em! They're to me 
Branches on life's Christmas tree; 
Wouldn't be the world it is, 
Ef one branch I come to miss! 
They're the sunbeams on life's snow — - 
They're the heart-lights here below! 
What would this world ever be 
Ef their arms wuz loosed from me ? 
'Specially when sweet bells chime 
'Long about the Christmas time? 



144 



A HOPEFUL BROTHER 

EF you ask him, day or night, 
When the worl' warn't runnin' right, 
"Anything that's good in sight?" 
This is alius what he'd say, 
In his uncomplainin' way — 
"Well, I'm hopin'." 

When the winter days wuz nigh, 
An' the clouds froze in the sky, 
Never sot him down to sigh. 
But, still singin' on his way, 
He'd stop long enough to say — 
"Well, I'm hopin'." 

Dyin', asked of him that night 
(Sperrit waitin' fer its flight), 
"Brother, air yer prospec's bright?" 
An' — last words they heard him say. 
In the ol', sweet, cheerful way — 
"Well, I'm hopin'." 

H5 



WHAT THE FIRE SAID 



THIS is what the Fire said 
To the little boys in the trundle bed, 
While the blaze was burning red and blue 
And the wind sang over the chimney flue: 

'^Bad little boys, 

They get no toys — 
They will never taste o' the Christmas joys : 

They will never know 

Where the reindeer go 
With Santa Claus, o'er the Christmas snow; 

O'er the housetops high 

He will pass them by: 
Over empty stockings they'll weep and sigh,- 

He will pass them by. 

He will pass them by!" 
146 



WHAT THE FIRE SAID 



II 



And the little boys in the trundle bed 
Turned to the Fire, and weeping, said: 

'*When your red flames glow 

They chatter so. 
If it wasn't for you he would never know! 

If it wasn't for you 

We'd have toys, too — 
Talking, talking the long night through, 
While the shadows flicker and dance about: 
O for a rain to put you out!" 

Ill 

But the Fire said: "The skies are bright; 
There will be no rain from the clouds to-night ; 
My flame is fierce ; I am strong to fight ; 

And when he comes 

With his horns and drums. 
And a sleigh half-full of sugarplums, 
147 



WHAT THE FIRE SAID 

I'll blister his feet 

With my burning heat, 
And drive him back to the snow and sleet! 

I will make him fly 

O'er the housetops high, — 
Over empty stockings you'll weep and sigh; 

He will pass you by. 

He will pass you by!" 



IV 



That is what the Fire said 

To the little boys in the trundle bed ; 

And then they covered each curly head 

And cried themselves to sleep. 
But when all save the noisy Fire was still 
(Ever singing its angry will!) 
And on the housetop and on the hill 

The snow lay white and deep. 
There came the sound of a tinkling sleigh, 
And a fairy trumpet blew far away ; 
And Santa Claus, in his coat of gray, 
148 



WHAT THE FIRE SAID 

Came on with a merry shout ! 
And over the chimney shaking the snow 
To the place where he knew the flames must 

glow, 
The flakes fell fast on the hearth below 

And put the Fire out ! 
Then, down the darkened chimney he sped, 
And standing close by the trundle bed. 
And seeing the sorrowful little boys. 
He filled their stockings and hats with toys ! 



149 



IT'S MORNING 

NEVER star was in the sky — 
Winter winds went wailing by ; 
Not a violet was in bloom — 
Not a rainbow rimmed the gloom; 
But the light's on cot and clod — 
Earth is singing, and, thank God, 
It's Morning! 

Morning on the holy hills — 
Meadows that enfold the rills; 
Morning in the heavens of blue — 
Morning in the eyes of you! 
In the dear and dreaming eyes 
Where the kind God made my skies — 
It's Morning! 



it's morning 

From a sorrow wild and deep 
Weariness had led to sleep; 
Sweetest sleep, because I knew 
It would bring me dreams of you! 
Did I dream the dark was here? 
It was only dreaming, dear — 
It's Morning! 

O the glory of the hills — 
Violet-valleys — singing rills — 
Meadows musical and sweet, 
Where I hear the world's heart beat! 
Past the storm, and past the strife: 
Love hath led us back to life: 
It's Morning! 



'5' 



1 



THE LAD WITH THE LITTLE TIN 
HORN 



FOR all o' the world and its troubles, 
He's happy, as sure as you're born; 
He's up and away 
At the break o' the day — 

The lad with the little tin horn. 
He recklessly rouses us all from our rest. 
But he's still the dear fellow we're loving the best ! 



He roams 'neath the red o' the hollies — 
Where wreaths the gay windows adorn ; 

He summons us all with a clarion call — 
The lad with the little tin horn. 

And for all of his music he's kissed and caressed, 

For he's the dear fellow we're loving the best! 

152 



THE LAD WITH THE LITTLE TIN HORN 

Ah, sad were the time o' the Christmas — 

Its bright halls forever forlorn, 
Were it not for the joy 
Of a dear little boy — 

A boy with a little tin horn ! 
In his mirth and his music the whole world is blest, 
For he's the dear fellow we're loving the best! 



^53 



A SONG OF TRUST 

1KN0W not whether the seed shall be 
Harvest of tares or wheat to me — 
Harvest of tares 
In bitter years : 
Over the sowing I may not see. 

But duty is done. With a hopeful song 
I follow the furrow the field along. 
If tares stay the wheat, 
Yet the sowing was sweet, — 
Why should I sigh for the reaping song? 

Toiled not my neighbor in field and plain. 
Missing the sunlight — 'reft of the rain? 

Sowing the seeds 

Of beautiful deeds — 
And reaping in sorrow the thorns of pain? 

154 



A SONG OF TRUST 

Yet the deed was dear, and the seed was fair, 
Though they flowered not in an answered prayer: 

And Duty done 

Is victory won. 
And still in that harvest his heart shall share. 

Heart, there are lessons to learn : the years 
Can not hide heaven, for all their tears ! 
What though I weep 
Where my dead hopes sleep ? 
Still in the tempest the star appears. 

And Love is living, and life is fed 
With Love forever — its daily bread ; 

And Love's own light 

Illumes the night 
Over the graves that hide Love's dead! 



'55 



FELLOW WHO HAD DONE HIS BEST 

FELLOW who had done his best 
Went one morning to his rest; 
Never lip his forehead pressed — 
Not one rose on his still breast. 
But the angels knew that day- 
How along the rocky way 
He had traveled for that rest — 
Fellow who had done his best! 

No one, as he trudged along, 
Knew the sigh was in the song; 
No one heard his poor heart beat 
Where the sharp thorns pierced his feet. 
But that day — the day he died — 
There were angels at his side, 
Angels singing him to rest — 
Fellow who had done his best, 

156 



FELT.OW WHO HAD DONE HIS BEST 

For the room was strangely bright, 
And his face, in morning light. 
Had a smile that seemed to say: 
''After darkness comes the day! 
All the grief — the gloom is past, 
And the morning's mine at last!" 
Far he'd traveled for that rest — 
Fellow who had done his best. 

Never sermon, song or sigh 
Went that day toward the sky; 
But God's lilies — ^violets sweet. 
Decked his grave at head and feet; 
And the birds, in shadows dim, 
Sang their sweetest over him. 
He that went that way for rest — 
Fellow who had done his best. 



157 



THE PHILOSOPHER 



159 



A HOMELY PHILOSOPHER 

THE craps is all gethered, I reckon ; 
Hain't made a good show fer the fall; 
But what's the use sighin*, 
An' wailin', an' cryin' ? 

Thank God, that's enough fer us all ! 

We've lost some on cotton, I reckon, 
An' 'taters air powerful small ! 

But what's the use sighin'? 

The fritters air fryin', 

An' thar's jest 'bout enough fer us all! 

We'll pull through the winter, I reckon ; 

We never have gone to the wall ! 
So, put on the griddle. 
An' tune up the fiddle — 

Thar's room in the quadrille fer all! 
II i6i 



WINTER'S COMINM 

WINTER'S comin' in fer shore— 
Blusterin' eroun' ; 
Mollie, san' the cabin floor — 

Take the fiddle down. 
Short on cotton, — who's to blame? 
We'll be dancin' jest the same ! 

Boys air comin' down the road 

Jest to dance with you. 
Apples ? What a rosy load ! 

Jugs o' cider, too ! 
Corn crap failed us, — who's to blame? 
We'll be dancin' jest the same ! 

Never cry fer what we've missed — 

Let the fire bum steady. 
All the gals air to be kissed, 

An' the boys air ready ! 
All craps poorly,- — who's to blame? 
We kin dance, dear, jest the same! 
162 



KEEP A-GOINM 

EF you strike a thorn or rose, 
Keep a-goin' ! 
Ef it hails, or ef it snows, 

Keep a-goin' ! 
'Tain't no use to sit an' whine. 
When the fish ain't on yer line ; 
Bait yer hook an' keep a-tryin' — 
Keep a-goin' ! 

When the weather kills yer crop, 

Keep a-goin' ! 
When you tumble from the top. 

Keep a-goin' ! 
S'pose you're out o' every dime, 
Bein' so ain't any crime; 
Tell the world you're feelin' prifne- 

Keep a-goin' ! 
163 



KEEP A-GOIN* ! 

When it looks like all is up, 

Keep a-goin' ! 
Drain the sweetness from the cup, 

Keep a-goin' ! 
See the wild birds on the wing, 
Hear the bells that sweetly ring, 
When you feel like sighin' sing — 

Keep a-goin' ! 



164 



WHEN A FELLER HAS THE BLUES 

WHEN a feller has the blues, 
'Taint no use to ask his views 
'Bout the country — how it goes: — 
Ef it hails, or ef it snows — 
Cotton up or cotton down — 
Worl' stopped still, or whirlin' roun', — 
Never keers fer any news — 
That poor feller with the blues ! 

Sun may do his best to shine — 

Blossoms purple on the vine ; 

Win's may sing in music sweet, 

Rivers ripple at his feet ; 

An' the birds the boughs erlong 

Jest may split their throats with song, — 

But he's lonesome as you choose — 

That 'ere feller with the blues ! 

165 



WHEN A FELLER HAS THE BLUES 

Whar'd they come from? Day by day, 
You kin see 'em on the way, 
Jest a-trudgin' up the slope — 
Drownin' all the bells o' Hope ! 
Comin' in the door to chide you — 
Drawin' up a chair beside you, 
Sayin', ''Hello! What's the news?" 
Them exasperatin' blues! 

Then it is we know we're human — 

Then it is the smile o' woman — 

Is the only welcome light 

That comes twinklin' through the night! 

Ef that smile o' hers has boun' you — 

Ef you feel her arms eroun' you, 

Be as happy as you choose. 

With "Good mornin' " to the blues! 



i66 



THE USUAL WAY 

IT'S all right, I reckon, an' ef they must go 
Thar's no use persuadin' an' takin' on so; 
Fer "Boys will be boys," is the sayin' an' they 
Ain't diff'runt from others that's shoutin' ''Hoo- 
ray!" 

It's the usual way — 
It's the usual way! 

I see the old man limpin' roun' on a peg, 
An' I p'ints 'em the moral that's thar' — in one leg ; 
He left one in battle. But what kin I say. 
When the regiment fellers air shoutin "Hooray"? 

It's the usual way — 

It's the usual way! 

It's all right, I reckon ; fer fightin' has joys 
Fer devil-keer sperrits — an' "Boys will be boys!" 
So I kiss 'em goodby; fer they never will stay 
When the regiment fellers air shoutin' "Hooray!" 

It's the usual way — 

It's the usual way! 
167 



SETTIN' BY THE FIRE 

NEVER much on stirrin' roun' 
(Sich warn't his desire), 
Allers certain to be foun' 
Settin' by the fire. 

When the frost wuz comin' down — 

Col' win' creepin' nigher, 
Spent each day jest thataway — 

Settin' by the fire. 

When the dancin' shook the groun' — 
Raised the ol' roof higher, 

Never swung the gals eroun' — 
Sot thar' by the fire. 
1 68 



SETTIN BY THE FIRE 

Same ol' corner night an' day — 

Never 'peared to tire ; 
Not a blessed word to say! 

Jest sot by the fire. 

When he died, by slow degrees, 
Folks said: "He's gone higher;" 

But it's my opinion he's 
Settin' by the fire. 



169 



THE HAZY, DAISY WEATHER 

THE way this hazy, mazy, daisy kind o' weather 
goes 
The wind is all too lazy f er to rumple up a rose ; 
It's sighin' jest so soft-like its voice is lost away, — 
Lost some'rs in the blossoms whar' the honeysuck- 
les stay. 

Dream time. 

Dream time — 
Time to take yer ease, 

In the green, sweet clover — 
A brother to the breeze ! 

Noises o' the city life faint as faint kin be; 

Shadders o' the maples an' the mossed-oaks over 
me. 

Rills that sing in sunshine an' ripple through the 
dells 

To the drowsy tinkle, tinkle o' the sleepy cattle- 
bells. 

170 



THE HAZY, DAISY WEATHER 

Dream time, 

Dream time — 
Time to take yer ease. 

In the green, sweet clover — 
A brother to the breeze ! 

Don't want any lover. They air sweet to see ; 
But thar's more in life, I'm thinkin', than red lips 

bring to me. 
I'm whar' the lilies know me, an' the rivers sing 

an' shine ; — 
I'm married to the meadow, an' the parson is the 

pine ! 

Dream time, 

Dream time — 
Time to take yer ease, * 

In the green, sweet clover — 
A brother to the breeze ! 



171 



A HALLELUIA FELLOW 

I AIN'T so much on talkin' when they're axin' 
folks to rise 
An' sorter read their titles clear to mansions in 

the skies; 
I mostly sets thar' quiet, till the Sperrit moves me 

— then 
I hollers "Halleluia!" an' the brotherin' says 
''Amen!" 

I don't object to talkin' — to stan' an' testify 

To Canaan's fair an' happy Ian' whar' my posses- 
sions lie ; 

But I never wuz a orator; you've got to rouse 
me; then 

I jest shouts ''Halleluial" an' the brotherin' 

says "Amen!" 

17:5 



A HALLELUIA FELLOW 

Ain't much on long experiences, wharever they 

may be, 
Though fond o' that amazin' grace that saved a 

wretch like me, 
I jest sets still an' listens till the fire burns me ; — 

then 
I gives 'em *'Halleluia!" an' the brotherin' says 

"Amen!" 

Though, of course, it makes some fellers in the 
big revivals smile, 

I says more in a minute than they gits to in a mile. 

An' when I gits to glory, an' the gates air swing- 
in', — then 

I'll holler '^Halleluia!" till the angels say' ^ Amen!" 



173 



NONE FOR HIM 

DON'T want no bullets swishin', 
Fer peace is hard to beat; 
The river's ripe fer fishin' 

An' the birds air singin' sweet; 
An' a feller falls to dreamin', 
With the daisies at his feet. 

Don't want no captains callin' 

To charge, or to retreat; 
The springtime blooms air fallin' 

On the medder an' the street; 
An' the bees air sippin' honey 

From the hearts o' roses sweet. 

Don't want no bayonets shinin' 
Whar' the blossoms orter be ; 

Whar' woodlan' vines air twinin' 
An' rills sing sweet to sea ; 

Fer springtime's here a-smilin' 
An' loafin' roun' with me ! 
174 



'SIDE A CABIN FIRE 

WHAT care we fer wind an' storm 
Comin' nigh an' nigher 
Helter-skelter ! 
Here's a shelter, 
An' a cabin fire ! 

Snow an' sleet in windy beat — 

Soon the storm'U tire; 
Don't alarm us: 
What kin harm us 

'Side a cabin fire ? 

Here's our world — a little space 

Mighty few'd admire; 
But we're merry! 
Cares we bury 

'Side a cabin fire. 



SIDE A CABIN FIRE 

Let the weather work its will — 
Storm winds blowin' higher; 

Sings the fiddle — 

Smokes the griddle 
'Side a cabin fire. 



176 



A POOR UNFORTUNATE 



HIS boss went dead an' his mule went lame ; 
He lost six cows in a poker game ; 
A harricane come on a summer's day, 
An' carried the house whar' he lived away ; 
Then a airthquake come when that wuz gone, 
An' swallered the Ian' that the house stood on! 
An' the tax collector, he come roun' 
An' charged him up fer the hole in the groun' ! 
An' the city marshal — he come in view 
An' said he wanted his street tax, too ! 

II 

Did he moan an' sigh? Did he set an' cry 
An' cuss the harricane sweepin' by? 
Did he grieve that his ol' friends failed to call 
When the airthquake come an' swallered all ? 
12 177 



A POOR UNFORTUNATE 

Never a word o' blame he said, 
With all them troubles on top his head ! 
Not hint! . . . He dumb to the top o' the hill- 
Whar' standin' room wuz left him still, 
An', barin' his head, here's what he said: 
*'I reckon it's time to git up an' git; 
But, Lord, I hain't had the measels yit!" 



178 



AN IDLE FELLOW 

SOME folks, they says I'm lazy 
An' fon' o' loafin' 'roun', 
Think too much of a daisy 

To plow it out the groun' ; 
Would ruther loll an' listen 

Whar' the dews air drippin' down 
An' the rivers sing an' glisten, 
Than drive the mules to town. 

The folks air right, I reckon ; 

Can't nuthin' make me stay 
When I see the green trees beckon 

From the medders fur away. 
When the cattle bells air ringin' 

Whar' the grass waves wild and free. 
An' the mockin' birds air singin' 

Like they're singin' right at me I 
179 



AN IDLE FELLOW 

The good Lord said the lilies 

Didn't toil an' didn't spin, 
An' I kinder think His will is 

I should take the lilies in ! 
An' I think the world must need 'em 

In the sunshine an' the storm, 
For He sends His dews to feed 'em 

An' His light to keep 'em warm. 

I wuz born to be a rover, 

Fer I love the woods the best, 
An' the dewy bed o' clover 

Is the sweetes' fer my rest; 
An' I'd ruther see above me 

A blue sky bendin' down 
Whar' the lilies lean an' love me, 

Than drive the mules to town ! 



1 80 



LOVE SONGS 



i8i 



THE SWEET COMMAND 

^CT OVE thou thy neighbor as thyself:'' 
1—/ I've read it o'er and o'er. 
By Love's dear hand, 
A sweet command! — 

I love my neighbor more ! 
I love her as the light that shines, 
Kissing her red lips through the vines ! 

''Love thou thy neighbor as thyself:" 

I like that scripture sweet! 
I do fulfill 
That scripture's will 

With my heart's every beat! 
I love her as the glad winds race 
To roses smiling in her face ! 

183 



THE SWEET COMMAND 

*'Love thou thy neighbor as thyself:" 
Preach from the text no more ! 

The broad sea rolls 

Between our souls, 

And shore is far from shore. 

Yet still in grace my soul shall grow,- 

I love — I love my neighbor so ! 



184 



MARCELLE'S LOVERS 

FIFTY lovers — ay, and more, 
Marcelle, 

Marcelle I 
Count them, mistress, by the score- 

Marcelle, 

Marcelle ! 
Fifty lovers! Well, I wis 
Never maid knew love like this, 
Standing tip-toe for a kiss — 

Marcelle, 

Marcelle ! 

From the flowering east and west, 

Marcelle, 

Marcelle ! 
Roses wreathe they for your rest, 

Marcelle, 

Marcelle ! 

»85 



MARCELLE S LOVERS 

From the gardens April-blest 

Blooms they bring to your dear breast; 

Kiss the lover you love best — 

Marcelle, 

Marcelle ! 

Sure, their faiths must faint and fall, 

Marcelle, 

Marcelle ! 
You have kisses for them all, 

Marcelle, 

Marcelle ! 
But two years have twinkled bright 
Since your brown eyes saw the light; 
And your kiss is mine to-night — 

Marcelle, 

Marcelle ! 



i86 



r 



IN THE RED DEEPS OF MAY 

I 
^HE weary world is lonesome — ^so lonesome, 
dear, alway, 
An' I would I were with Philip in the red deeps 

of May ! 
For Summer's sweetest roses seem phantoms cold 

and gray, 
An' I would I were with Philip in the red deeps 
of May! 

In the red deeps of May, 
Where he'd sing my soul away; 
With Philip— oh, with Philip, 
In the red deeps of May! 

II 

The red rose and the white rose are woven in 

my way. 

But I would I were with Philip in the red deeps 

of May ! 

187 



IN THE RED DEEPS OF MAY 

'Neath stars that tinged the midnight — 'neath 

suns that blessed the day — 
With Philip — oh, with Philip, in the red deeps of 

May! 

In the red deeps of May 
Where he'd sing my soul away; 
With Philip — mine forever, 
In the red deeps of May! 

Ill 
O maiden, with the lover, and lover with the ring, 
Sing all the sweetest melodies that lips of you can 

sing! 
But nothing e'er so sweet can be as sweet songs 

lost away 
From the lips — the lips of Philip, in the red deeps 

of May ! 

In the red deeps of May — 
Where my heart must beat away — 
With Philip— oh, with Philip, 
In the red deeps of May! 
i88 



A NECKLACE OF LOVE 

NO rubies of red for my lady — 
No jewel that glitters and charms, 
But the light of the skies in a little one's eyes, 
And a necklace of two little arms. 

Of two little arms that are clinging 
(Oh, ne'er was a necklace like this!) 

And the wealth o' the world and love's sweetness 
impearled 
In the joy of a little one's kiss. 

A necklace of love for my lady 

That was linked by the angels above. 

No other but this — and the tender, sweet kiss 
That sealeth a little one's love. 



189 



THE RING AND THE ROSE 

A RING and a rose, Jean — a velvety tress,— 
And I love you no more, and I love you no 
less: 
But still, in the light of a cynical day, 
I can hold your white hand while I'm going your 

way. 
Are these all that life has to brighten and bless — 
A ring, and a rose, and a velvety tress? 

A ring and a rose ! 'Twere a wonderful thing 
If we shackled Love's liberty, dear, with a ring! 
If he went the unvarying pathway he knows 
For the sake of a soft tress — the kiss of a rose ! 
I love you no more, dear, I love you no less, 
For a ring, and a rose, and a velvety tress. 

See, how the stars beckon! That way, dear, lies 

fame — 
The glory we sigh for — a wreath and a name ! 

190 



THE RING AND THE ROSE 

And how may I win them if 'neath the bright 

skies 
I revel and rest in the light of your eyes ? 
Oh, yet for some word from the life-stars above ! 
And shall it be fame, Jean — or shall it be love? 

I fear for the answer ! Nay, let your eyes dawn : — 
Would the light in them fade if my lips were 

withdrawn ? 
If I gained the far summit in splendor of light, 
Would a woman's heart miss me and dwell with 

the Night ? 
Would I still to my bosom in memory pfess 
A ring, and a rose, and a velvety tress? 

Hold fast to my hand, Jean ! It's love that is true ; 

Hold fast to my hand : — / am going with you I 

I am going to trample all else in the dust 

Save your love — I believe it! — your beautiful 

trust ! 

With never a sigh, or the mist of a tear, 

I am giving the world and its wealth for you, 

dear! 

191 



THE RING AND THE ROSE 

Hold fast to my hand, Jean! Though humble 

the way, 
It shall lead us at last to a lovelier day; 
We shall face the far skies with their blackness 

and blue, ♦ 

And if heights may be won, I shall win them with 

you! 
There are tears of the years on the wreath 'round 

a name: 
It is love, dear, that lives o'er the ashes of Fame! 



192 



MARCELLE 

1LOVE her well— 
Marcelle, Marcelle! 
For hints of heaven seem to dwell 
Within her eyes — her violet eyes; 
And in her hair soft, sunset dyes, 
As from far fields of Paradise. 
I may not sing, I may not say. 
By starry night, or sun-swept day; 

How well — how well 

I love Marcelle ! 

I love her well — 

Marcelle, Marcelle! 
Her voice is like a silver bell 
That summons souls to worship ; she 
Is on Love's throne and Love leads me 
Where smiles his priestess radiantly ; 
I may not say, I may not sing 
How wintry days are kissed to spring — 

Nor ever tell 

How passing well 

I love Marcelle — I love Marcelle ! 
13 193 



A SONG IN SPRINGTIME 

I HEAR the world's heart beat 
In the grasses at my feet. . . 
Are you somewhere in the woodlands, that the 
thrush is singing, Sweet? 

speak — rejoicing plain! 
And gardens, green for rain: 

Is she somewhere in the meadows, where the 
bees the honey drain? 

1 hear the world's heart beat: 
For the wintry storms retreat. 

Are you somewhere in the blossoms, that the 
light has found them. Sweet? 

O speak — exulting hills ! 

Where a great Heart throbs and thrills: 

Is she somewhere in the music of the ripple of 

the rills? 

194 



A SONG IN SPRINGTIME 

O God, Thy world is sweeter! 
It has mastered heaven's own meter. 
Is she where the unseen angels rest unwearied 
wings to greet her? 

Sure — sure her step is near me, 
For the robins do not fear me, 
And viewless chariots of the air to blissful Aid- 
ens bear me. 

Dear world — so new, so sweet! 
Grown glad her grace to greet. 
O darken not your sunflowers till they light me 
to her feet! 



195 



LETITIA'S LIKENESS 

THE likeness of Letltia: 
She lived so long ago 
O'er the dead lilies of her dust 

Undreaming daisies grow. 
No marble to her memory; 
Only this writing saith — 
The faded legend of her love: — 
' "Thine to the gates of Death!" 

Whose? Knights that rode in tourney 

O'er meadows of romance, 
Who bowed them at her footstool 

Or battled for a glance? 
Or yet, some humbler lover, 

Unskilled in war and art, 
Who heard in summer silences 

The beating of her heart? 
196 



LETITIA S LIKENESS 

The world cares not; unheeding 

Pass unremembering years; 
Her love — her trust, are things of dust,- 

Her triumphs and her tears. 
Yet, all to-day that Love can say 

That faded legend saith: 
What more? To be her lover's 

''Unto the gates of Death!" 



197 



WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT 

'I II 7 HEN the lights go out — when the lights go 

And the trembling hand is groping in the darkness 
round about 
For the gentle clasp it misses — 
For the lips with last, sweet kisses, 
May I find you then, my dearie, when the lights 
go out! 

When the lights go out — when the lights go out — 
When the bright stars fade from heaven and the 
darkness is a doubt. 

May your heart — the first to love me — 

In that moment beat above me — 
May I find you then, my dearie, when the lights 



go out ! 



198 



WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT 

When the lights go out — when the lights go out, 
Will your dear lips whisper faith, dear — will they 
kiss away the doubt? 
Oh, my soul — though unforgiven. 
Shall with dying eyes see heaven 
If my darling is but near me when the lights go 
out! 



199 



THE WIND O' THE NIGHT 



THE wind's at the casement. O wind o' the 
night! 
Do you envy this shelter — this flickering light ? 
You have stormed the pale stars from the heaven 

above : — 
Would you hound this lone hearth, with its ashes 
of love ? 

Far — far be your flight, 
O wind o' the night. 
To the terrified seas, with their billows of white ; — 
To the fearful seas, where the black skies frown. 
And the gray gulls scream as the ships go down ! 
Fast in flight— 
O wind o' the night. 
From the ashes of love and the phantom of light! 

200 



THE WIND O THE NIGHT 
II 

The wind's at the casement, O wind o' the night, 
Beat down the rude portals in wrath and in might ! 
You have blown the bleak stars from the heaven 

above:-— 
Wreak your rage on this hearth, with its ashes of 
love! 

Nay, wing not your flight, 
O wind o' the night. 
To the seas where the drowned souls are shrouded 

in white ; 
For the seas they lie east, and the seas they lie 

west ; 
But the stormiest sea's in the human breast! 
Stay your flight, 
O wind o' the night: — 
Here are ashes of love for you — embers of light! 

Ill 

The wind's at the casement. O wind o' the night, 
Toss o'er my bleak bosom lost tresses of light! 

201 



THE WIND O THE NIGHT 

Reveal through the clouds — through the shrouds 

o' the skies, 
The smile on her dear lips — the light of her eyes ! 
I am weary to-night 
As your wings in their flight, 
For the fall of her beautiful tresses of light ! 
For the seas they lie east, and the seas they lie 

west, 
But they bring her no more to the love of my 
breast ! 

Stay your flight, 
O wind o' the night: — 
Here are ashes of love for you — embers of light ! 



202 



A BALLAD OF LETITIA 



LETITIA had lovers a score — ay, and more ! 
And this one brought riches and splendor; 
And that one brought fame 
And the light of a name 

To plead for her heart's love so tender. 
But it's ho! for the dreamer w^ith nothing to bring — 
With never a necklace or round of a ring, 
Who dwelt in the vales where the mocking-birds 
sing. 
With nothing but true love to render ! 

II 

O fair were the lovers, and many and sweet 
Were the love words they brought to the wooing ; 

And gold hath a glitter. 

And poverty's bitter — 

A phantom forever pursuing. 
203 



A BALLAD OF LETITIA 

But ho ! for the dreamer with nothing to bring 
Save a rose from the reddened sweet lips o' the 

spring — 
A rose — O my masters ! — a rose for a ring! — 
A rose for a rival's undoing ! 

Ill 

"And whither, Letitia — ah, whither away 
From the skies that bend brightly above you ? 

And hark you, bright eyes, 

To the words o' the wise : 

Let the gifts of your glad lovers move you !" 

But ho ! for the dreamer with nothing to bring — 

In the blossomy vales where the mocking-birds sing! 

And the rose to her lips, and ''Goodby to the ring!" 
And "I love you ! I love you ! I love you !" 



204 



BEFORE THE GATES 



AT heaven's high gate each mortal told his story, 
And one came crowned with gold, and one 
with glory. 

II 
One said: ''I built great temples that arise 
With spires that point the pathway to the skies." 

Ill 
And one: ''I scattered gold before my door 
When rose the rage of all the rabble poor." 

IV 

And yet another: ''On the heights of Fame, 
Toiling obscme, I carved a deathless name." 



And then came one in meek and lowly guise : 
Nor to the angel did he lift his eyes. 
205 



BEFORE THE GATES 



VI 



"What hast thou done to gain the courts above?" 
"Nothing," he said. "All that I knew was love; 



VII 



"That love which was — that love which is to be; 
And love I gave, and love returned to me!" 



VIII 



Then said the angel: "Lift thou up thine eyes: 
Enter the shining gates of Paradise!" 



206 



IP LOVE BE THINE 

BE thou content 
If Love be thine. Let not thy robe be rent^ 
Nor sigh in sackcloth that he kneels not here, 
Or wreathes for thee no living laurel there. 

Be thou content 

If that one star shine in Love's firmament. 
Only to know one glance of Love is thine 
Is to make life immortal and divine ! 



207 



LET THE DREAM PASS 

LIFE hath its burdens — 
Bitter, alas ! 
Still we can bear them: 

Let the dream pass ! 
Vanishing ever — 

The sands in the glass ; 
Time will not linger: \ 
Let the dream pass ! 

Why, in the shadow — 

Why, in the gleam, 
Should we sit sighing 

Over a dream? 
Phantoms pursuing 

Vainly, alas! 
Deeds for the doing! — 

Let the dream pass! 
2oS 



LET THE DREAM PASS 

Ever and ever 

Some flaw in the strain ; 

Never — oh, never 

The old dreams again! 

Life-lights are dying- 
Night comes — alas ! 

Heart, cease thy sighing— 
Let the dream pass ! 



14 209 



OVER THE GREEN HILLS 



TO E. W. M. 



OVER the green hills that climb to the blue 
This message to you : 
Life, dear, is mingled with daisies and dust, 
Bitter its burdens, though bear them we must; 
But sweet is its love, dear, and tender its trust — 
Over the green hills this message to you ! 

II 

Over the pathways of rose and of rue 

This message to you : 
Life, dear, is shadow, though silvered by sun ; 
Sweet is the joy, dear, of duty well done ; 
What of the strife, if the victory's won? 

Over the green hills this message to you ! 



2IO 



THE PORTRAIT 

HERE'S Laura — wrinkled now, and old: 
No dye the gray hair covers; 
There is no hint of curls of gold 

Adored by countless lovers. 
Where are those lips that shamed the rose? 
The dimpled cheek — the smile? — God knows! 

An old man with thin locks of white 

(What, now, can he admire?) 
Broods o'er her pictured face to-night 

Beside a dying fire. 
Where are the eyes of amethyst. 
And where the white, sweet hands he kissed? 

'Fore God, the world has slipped away — 

Dim skies are now above him: 
'Twere mockery if these lips should say 

They love him — still they love him! 
Yet, these were lips that shamed the rose: 
How came they drawn and white ? God knows ! 

311 



THE PORTRAIT 

And this was once a woman fair 

As dewy sunrise gleaming; 
Love kissed her lips, her hands, her hair, 

And in her smile went dreaming. 
How could the years such havoc make? 
Once men died for this woman's sake! 



Her lovers now are wan and old! 

No joy their pathway blesses ; 
What hand that wrinkled hand shall hold, 

Or smooth the dim, gray tresses? 
'Fore God, the world has slipped away, 
And even Love is old and gray. 



And Mistress Margaret — matron sweet — 
Far fairer ties have bound her; 

She hears her children's pattering feet — 
Child-arms are necklaced round her. 

In her sweet, tranquil face appears 

Love, smiling on you through glad years. 

213 



THE PORTRAIT 

But Laura! . . . Like a bauble thing — 
A weak and withering blossom, 

Tossed love in life's delicious spring 
From her unfeeling bosom. 

Men died for her- — chained, trampled slaves- 

And now what has she but their graves? 

And Laura is a ghost that seems 
To glide from years long perished; 

The gods be gentle with her dreams — 
With the dead hopes she cherished! 

An old man with thin locks of white, 

Breathes this last prayer for her to-night! 



213 



IN HARVEST DAYS 

THE wheat bends down 
With its golden crown, 
And it's ho ! for the lass that loves me ! 
It's a brief, bright way 
To the parson's town, 
Then ho! for the lass that loves me! 

For her eyes are bright 

As the twinklin' light 
Of the stars o'er the wheat fields shinin', 

An' never I roam 

But they light me home 
Where the lass for me is pinin'. 

Let the golden crown 

Of the wheat bend down — 
It's all for the lass that loves me ! 

The parson's town 

An' the weddin' gown, 
An' the lips of the lass that loves me ! 
214 



MY SHAKESPEARE 

I LAY my gentle Shakespeare down 
Even where there runs a rumor 
That Portia fareth unto town 

To plead with grace and humor. 
For when her fair, sweet face I see 
A dearer Portia pleads for me ! 

Another Imogen, O sweet! 

Another scene stands brave in, 
And fareth faithfully to meet 

Her lord at Milford Haven. 
I read her beauteous soul, and then 
I think of thee — my Imogen ! 

And Isabella, clothed with grace, 
From weeping couch hath risen 

And with the lovelight in her face 
Pleads for the soul in prison. 

I hail her sweet, and pure and wise, 

But find a fairer in thine eyes! 

215 



MY SHAKESPEARE 

And then Cordelia in the night 
And tempest rude hath found me. 

Are these her lips — her eyes of light, 
And these her arms around me ? 

Before me, with sweet, saving hands, 

Dear heart! a new Cordelia stands. 

I lay my gentle Shakespeare down 
Who never pleadeth vainly. 

How could he write in London Town 
And picture thee so plainly? 

O Night, fly to the Morning sweet, 

And Morning find me at thy feet ! 



Zi6 



THE SWEETHEART OF A SOLDIER 



r 



^HE sweetheart of a soldier — she kissed his lips 
that day 
When the silver bugles summoned to the red wrath 

of the fray; 
And "Go," she cried, ''to glory — where falls the 

crimson rain. 
And Love will wait with tears and prayers till Love 
comes home again!" 

The sweetheart of a soldier — and forth the soldier 

went, 
Where the flowering fields were reddened and the 

rippling banners rent ; 
And ''Come," she cried, "from glory, where Love 

all yearning dwells. 
For all the battle-flags are furled and Peace rings 

in the bells!" 

217 



THE SWEETHEART OF A SOLDIER 

But white and still beneath the stars on the red 

field he lies, 
Where Death, that heeds not glory, kissed down 

his dreaming eyes. 
And the sweetheart of the soldier must wait and 

watch in vain — 
Must wait with tears and prayers for Love that 

comes not home again ! 



3i8 



SONGS OF OTHER DAYS 



219 



AN OLD-FASHIONED GENTLEMAN 



^^ A N old-fashioned gentleman" — that's what 

i\ they said — 
"The last of his race" — like a ghost from the dead 
He seemed to the many ; among them he passed 
In honor — a gentleman born, to the last! 
It was seen by the way that he carried his head — 
By his dignified mien and his soldierly tread ; 
By his scorn of all offers of wealth and fame — 
By his robe — never soiled in the shadows of shame. 
"An old-fashioned gentleman!" — that's what they 

said — 
"The last of his race" — like a ghost from the dead! 



"An old-fashioned gentleman!" Well for the 

ways 
Where we walked in these thorny and wearisome 

days, 

331 



AN OLD-FASHIONED GENTLEMAN 

That such are beside us, with souls that are white 
And they drift with the dreams down the valleys 

of Night. 
They speak from the past ; they are true to the 

last ; 
Like the oaks of the forest, they brave every blast; 
The same in misfortune as in the bright gleam 
Of years that were music and passed like a dream ! 
"An old-fashioned gentleman" — that's what they 

said — 
"The last of his race" — like a ghost from the dead! 



223 




///////A/r7 ^' 






^ ^ 



^,^1 







f 




4 



THE OLD BOOKS 

THEY are gray with the gray of ages, 
Borrowed, and begged, and sold; 
Thumb-marked of saints and sages, 

In the scholarly days of old. 
Rose leaves pressed for a lover 

Rest in their pages dim, 
Though silent centuries cover 
All that is left of him. 

And I feel in the library's shadows, 

With this ghostly company, 
The breath of forgotten meadows 

And the centuries over me ! 
And when twilight bells are calling — 

When the day with its strifes is o'er — 
There are ghostly footsteps falling 

Faint on the library floor. 
223 



THE OLD BOOKS 

Singers, and saints and sages — 

In the fame of a name we trust, 
But time will cover our pages. 

As even our tombs, with dust. 
For here, in the library's shadows, 

Where the famed and fameless be, 
I roam in forgotten meadows. 

With the centuries over me ! 



-> 224 



THE FALLEN OF THE FIGHT 

OH, the story and the glory of the fallen of the 
fight 
Beneath the drooped flags dreaming in the laurels 
and the light. 
Is there rumor of the strife now ? 
Do their bright swords leap to life now ? 
Do they hear the far-rolled thunder of the grim 
guns in the night? 

Oh, the story and the glory of the fallen of the 

fight! 
Does the clamor of the captains reach their ranks 
all ghostly white ? 
Nay — they rest with rusting blades, 
All the glory-starred brigades, 
And the peace of God is on them in the splendor 
of the light. 

225 



THE FALLEN OF THE FIGHT 

In the peace of God they sleep, while the battle 

thunders sweep 
Over the echoing oceans where deep calleth unto 
deep ; 
Where from stormy sea to sea 
Waves the starred flag of the free, 
And their comrades, armed in honor, their vigil- 
fires keep. 

Oh, the story and their glory! Let the red stripes 

o'er them wave, 
Red as the blood that crimsoned them — the life- 
blood that they gave ! 
Blow, bugles, east and west. 
Over their rose-wreathed rest. 
And the love of a common country, like a garland 
on their grave. 



226 



THE DEAD SINGER 

(H. J.) 

DEAD ! . . . Let no saintly hands be lifted 
where 
Shrouded and still he lies 
To bar and ban the pallid dreamer there 
From Faith's illumined skies. 

Better the battle, where his sword flashed bright, 

Had known his dying breath, 
Than this! . . . But he, aweary of the light, 

Challenged the gates of Death. 

Who shall upbraid him? Who shall prate of 
wrong ? 
His from his earliest youth 
The sweetness and the tenderness of song — 
The love of Love and Truth. 
327 



THE DEAD SINGER 

For song dwelt with him ; in his life's dark night 

He caught from far, bright spheres 
A mystery of melody — the light 

That glimmered through his tears. 

And who shall say in Death's dim presence now 

His life was incomplete? 
Hands have been laid upon that thorn-wreathed 
brow 

In benediction sweet. 

Hands he uplifted — hearts that he sustained 

Come now, not to condemn ; 
What bitter cup life gave to him he drained. 

And left life's sweets to them. 

So now, still resting in the eternal rest. 

Beyond the morning's beams. 
Fold the tired hands in peace above the breast 

And leave him with the dreams. 



228 



THE DEAR OLD TUNES 

WHEN the dear old tunes come ringing, 
From the band, 
From the band, 
I can hear a far-off singing 

From a dim and ghostly land, 
Where the phantom tents are shining. 
And stacked the rifles stand. 

When the dear old tunes come ringing 
From the band, 
From the band. 
There are spectral soldiers swinging 

Into line on every hand. 
Grim veterans form in columns. 
And shout the captains grand ! 

When the dear old tunes come ringing 
From the band, 
From the band, 
239 



THE DEAR OLD TUNES 



Torn battle-flags seem flinging 
Their glory o'er the land. 

The dead rise up and answer 
To the roll-call of the bandl 



230 



IN THE NIGHT 



TO E. W. M. 



ONLY the Night and the stormy skies — 
The Night, so dark and wild, 
And in the gloom of a lonely room 
The breathing of a child. 

A little child that the angels led 

From a land we deem divine ; 
Who came to me when the prayer was said 

And laid his lips on mine. 

The smile of God on his dreaming face 
In the lamplight's fitful gleams; 

And I know that the angels lift the lace 
And kiss him into the dreams. 

I wonder why, in the silence here, 
My heart, with quickened beat. 

Echoes the sound of a falling tear 
On his beautiful face and sweet! 
231 



IN THE NIGHT 

Is it a thought of the weary way 

The little feet must tread, 
Or the grief of a soul that can not pray 

Where its altar-fires are dead? 

Never an answer for all the years . . . 

O storm, and midnight strife, 
Have ye only the dew of burning tears 

To fall on the rose of life ? 

Only the Night and the stormy skies — 
The Night so dark and wild, 

And in the gloom of a lonely room 
The breathing of a child. 



232 



AWAY WITH THE DREAMS 

(On the death of an ex-confederate soldier, whose fu- 
neral was attended by Grand Army veterans.) 

FAR— far from his sunny-sweet meadows, 
The blue hills and sea-singing streams, 
He felt the fast gathering shadows 

And drifted away with the dreams. 
No sound of the musketry's rattle — 

War-thunders and glories and gleams ; 
In peace — having fought his last battle — 
He drifted away with the dreams. 

He had followed where Jackson was leading — 

He had blazed a red pathway for Lee, 
His sword in the cause he was pleading; 

He had battled with Semmes on the sea. 
But now, o'er his form they were bending — 

Old foes, in a new morning's beams. 
With tears for the life that was ending. 

As he drifted away with the dreams. 

233 



AWAY WITH THE DREAMS 

They saw the red scars on his bosom 

(The wounds that he gloried to wear), 
And Love, like a lily-white blossom, 

Was tenderly laid on them there. 
''A soldier!" Enough in the knowing: 

The light of the far battle streams. 
No wonder the quick tears were flowing 

As he drifted away with the dreams ! 

And they tenderly lifted and laid him 

(Those wounds — Honor's stars — on his 
breast) 
On a couch Love had blest and had made him 

In the beautiful lilies of rest. 
Still "at home," in a land love-united, 

Though far from his meadows and streams, — 
The love-lamps — the love-lamps were lighted, 

And he drifted away with the dreams. 



234 



AT BAY 



AY, come in, if you will — ^you froth of the fren- 
zied night! 
I shall wreak the rage of my soul as I trample your 

crest of white ! 
Trample you — trample you down, as the world has 

trampled me — 
Come in, you wraiths of the clouds — you ghosts of 
the hills and sea ! 



Rattle the icy panes where the sleet-drop pelts and 

reels — 
Wind that bites the beggar — a baying hound at his 

heels! 
Ay, come in to this icy hearth, where the fires of 

life are dim. 
And rock the roof and the casement with the howl 

of your hated hymn ! 



AT BAY 

Ne'er knock at a beggar's door — O Spirit of Storm 

and Night! 
Hurl your thunders against it and beat it down 

with your might! 
Never a right hath a beggar — no word at court 

shall he win: 
Down with the doors, I charge you ! let the wolves 

come snarling in! 

The beggars crouch by the casements, and the 
saintly souls condemn: 

They[cry to the Lord for shelter, and He sends His 
storms on them ; 

A curse on a beggar's crying — a curse on his home- 
less head ! 

And preach of a far Christ dying for these that 
their hands strike dead ! 

I dare the worst ! I am one with the wind and 

snow and dashing sleet — 
Enemies they ; but I mock them, and fearless their 

fury meet. 

236 



AT BAY 

Have they not hounded me far? and when that I 

groaned in pain, 
Did they ever cease for mercy ? The pang and 

the prayer were vain ! 

The world shall slay a man when he dreams that 

the gods have given 
The unspeakable fire to his soul : they shall slay 

him in sight of heaven! 
They shall grind him down as they grind the stones 

— beaten, driven and led. 
They shall give him rags for his shivering bones — 

a crust when he cries for bread ! 

There was a song in my soul — of Right in a world 

of Wrong ; 
And sweet to me was the singing, though the tears 

fell with the song ; 
Sweet as the sound of harbor bells that sing to the 

ships at sea — 
As the dew is to the clover — as the bloom is to the 

bee. 

237 



AT BAY 

And I sang for the joy of singing — not for the 

crown of years : 
And there was peace in the pain for me, and there 

was light in the tears ; 
For a spirit came in a dream and whispered the 

hidden thing; 
And the stars streamed down in splendor, and I 

heard the Morning sing! 

And Love came from the copses — Love in his 
April-youth ; 

And I sang his praise in the cities, and crowned 
his brow with Truth ; 

And ever a rainbow shone for me over the storm 
and strife, 

And I saw the light in the darkness, and gar- 
landed Death with Life. 

I gave my tears and my prayers, and the voice of 
my soul ; and lo ! 

My answer comes in the beggar's den — in the pit- 
iless pelting snow — 

238 



AT BAY 

In the roar of the icy winds that envy the feeble 

flame 
That flickers here in the ashes where I trace the 

Spirit's name! 

Come in, O Ghosts of the Night! Knock not, O 

Wind, at my door! 
Batter the barrier down and shake the roof with 

your roar ! 
What right — what wrong hath a beggar? No 

favor at court he'll win: 
Enter — all foes and hatreds ! let the wolves come 

snarling in ! 

And this is the end of all ... . of the toiling 

and the tears ! 
But I face the last undaunted ; and reck not of the 

years ; 
Is the love of the world a lie, as the gold of the 

world is dross ? 
The bells are ringing the Christ in ... . Come 

on — come with the Cross! 
239 



b. 78 











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. MANCHESTER. 






